5 Areas Texas A&M Needs To Improve in Next Season

After finishing one of their best regular seasons in recent years, here is what the Aggies need to improve on to go all the way in 2026.

Dec 20, 2025; College Station, TX, USA; Texas A&M Aggies quarterback Marcel Reed (10) runs with the ball during the game between the Aggies and the Hurricanes at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

In 2025, the Texas A&M Aggies made one of their best finishes in recent program history with an 11-2 overall record that included just one regular season loss in a late November away game contest against in-state rival Texas.

In 2026, the Aggies have hopes to make it even further in what may be redshirt junior quarterback Marcel Reed's final season in College Station.

If Texas A&M wants to go all the way, the Aggies will have to improve in five areas that resulted in their first-round playoff exit last season.

1. Find Consistency With Reed — And Limit The Turnovers

Dec 20, 2025; College Station, TX, USA; Texas A&M Aggies head coach Mike Elko hugs Texas A&M Aggies wide receiver KC Concepcion (7) prior to the game against the Miami Hurricanes during the first round of the CFP National Playoff at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

There is no denying that Reed is an exceptionally talented dual-threat quarterback, and his leadership has helped the Aggies to find success during his time wearing maroon and white. At the same time, Reed has notable inconsistencies as he struggled to find confidence in his passing game last season.

Reed finished the 2025 season with 3,169 total yards and 25 touchdowns on 234 passes. However, he also ended with a 62.1% completion rate and 12 turnovers that cost the Aggies critical possessions. During Texas A&M's two season losses, to Texas to close out the regular season and Miami during the first round of the College Football Playoff, Reed finished both games with two interceptions each. If the Aggies hope to go further in the postseason in 2026, Reed will need to build confidence and find some stability in the passing game.

2. Create More Explosive Rushing Plays

The Aggies averaged 184.7 rushing yards per game during the 2025-26 season, ranking No. 58 nationally. Reed is responsible for many of the carries, being a dynamic rusher, but if the Aggies want to be more efficient they will need to spread the ground game across the board to make the explosive plays much more effective.

Texas A&M's leading rusher, redshirt junior Rueben Owens II, will be returning after ending the season with 639 total yards. The Aggies will also be assisted by sophomore Jamarion Morrow and the addition of freshman KJ Edwards, with Morrow projected to have a breakout year and Edwards coming in as a five-star in-state commit.

3. Improve Run Coverage

On the defensive side, the Aggies will have their hands full with improvements to a locker room that is losing several talented veterans due to the 2026 NFL Draft. Despite Texas A&M's defense characterizing its regular season dominance, the Aggies have one key issue that needs to be solved: Improving ground coverage.

The Aggies allowed an average of 119 rushing yards per game, ranking No. 7 in the SEC. It's important to note that Texas A&M featured a strong stop rate, especially mid-season, consistently ranking in the top-30 defensive teams nationally. However, as the season came to a close, the Aggies seemed to lose that momentum, allowing Texas to rush for 157 yards and Miami to finish with 175 rushing yards.

4. Generate Turnovers

The Aggies also struggled to create game-changing plays in terms of generating turnovers to create momentum. Over the entire 2025 season, Texas A&M completed just three interceptions to turn possession over, ranking No. 116 nationally.

Creating turnovers is crucial for a Texas A&M defense that wants to aid the offense by creating opportunities for possession, and is a critical feature for any team that wants to make a playoff run in 2026.

5. Improve Road Performance

Texas A&M is significantly worse when playing on the road, especially in terms of the defense. Both season losses happened away from Kyle Field, with extremely close games, such as against Notre Dame and Arkansas, occurring on the road.

With the Aggies hoping to capitalize off of last season's success, learning to build confidence in hostile environments is one of the most important factors for a deep playoff run — especially as Texas A&M plays five significant conference games on the road in 2026.

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