Could Texas A&M Benefit From Another Favorable SEC Schedule?

Texas A&M benefitted from a favorable conference schedule in 2025. Could they have a similar fate in 2026?

Texas A&M Aggies quarterback Marcel Reed (10) before a game against the Samford Bulldogs at Kyle Field. | Joseph Buvid-Imagn Images

In 2025, the Texas A&M Aggies went 11–1 in the regular season with a 7–1 conference record. They finished tied for first in the SEC but missed out on the conference championship due to a four-way tiebreaker with Georgia, Alabama and Ole Miss.

However, the Aggies also potentially benefited from a favorable conference schedule. Of the six SEC teams with two or fewer conference losses, A&M only faced one: Texas, a road loss. Of the nine that finished with four or more, it faced seven, winning them all.

Will the Aggies benefit from another favorable schedule in 2026, or will the road be more difficult as they seek out the program’s first SEC Championship Game appearance?

Will Texas A&M Benefit From Another Favorable SEC Schedule?

Texas A&M Aggies head coach Mike Elko celebrates after the game against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Notre Dame Stadium. | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

According to one metric, Texas A&M could have another favorable conference schedule compared to its peers. Action Network writer Collin Wilson ranked all 16 SEC schools by the strength of their conference schedule in 2026 based on his power ratings.

Through his metric, the Aggies’ 2026 SEC schedule ranks 15th-easiest. This could tee up the Aggies for another run at the conference championship. The only team with an easier conference schedule than Texas A&M in 2026, according to Wilson, is Vanderbilt.

However, some context is necessary when evaluating this placement. At the end of the regular season, all 16 SEC teams ranked inside the top 50 of Wilson’s power rating metric. Kentucky was ranked last among SEC teams at 46th. Eleven SEC teams rank inside the top 25.

With every SEC team ranked so highly, the margin between conference schedules is likely minimal, though Wilson does not provide a strength-of-schedule metric in his 2026 SEC schedule rankings.

As a comparison, ESPN’s Bill Connelly uses SP+ as a “measure of college football efficiency.” In his end-of-season SP+ rankings, Kentucky ranked last among SEC schools at 67th, three SEC schools ranked outside the top 50 and nine teams ranked inside the top 25.

Texas A&M Aggies wide receiver Mario Craver (1) runs with the ball against Missouri Tigers cornerback Toriano Pride Jr. (2) during the second half at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Preseason strength-of-schedule metrics can be tricky, though. Based on the preseason SEC football media poll, the Aggies were expected to play the No. 1 (Texas), No. 4 (LSU), No. 5 (South Carolina) and No. 6 (Florida) teams in the SEC in 2025 while finishing eighth.

Heading into 2026, several games appear as though they could be difficult matchups. Texas, Oklahoma and Alabama were all College Football Playoff teams, while Tennessee, LSU and Arizona State (out of conference) could be ranked in the top 25 going into Week 1.

Rounding out Texas A&M’s conference schedule, they face off against Kentucky, Arkansas, Missouri and South Carolina, though none of these contests should be considered pushovers. Kentucky ranked No. 11 in the country in the transfer portal, according to 247Sports. Missouri was ranked for most of the 2025 season, and both Arkansas and South Carolina have talented rosters.

While Texas A&M arguably has a more favorable schedule in 2026 — dodging teams like Georgia and Ole Miss again — that does not mean it will be easy. According to ESPN’s SP+ strength-of-schedule model, the Aggies’ 2025 schedule still ranked 18th-hardest nationally, with an out-of-conference game against Notre Dame likely playing a factor.

Head coach Mike Elko and the Aggies can only play the teams in front of them; regardless of whether their schedule is more or less favorable, it is their job to make the most of it.