How Much Of A Threat Is The Citadel To Texas A&M In 2026?

In October is a non-conference game at Kyle Field between two programs that are hoping to add a win to its resume. It's Texas A&M taking on The Citadel.

The Bulldogs coaching staff is led by head coach Maurice Drayton and faces head coach Mike Elko and his football program at the halfway point of the season. Can Drayton's troops apply the pressure or will it be a one-sided affair?

Looking at the construction of the roster, the arrow leans heavily in favor of the Aggies having the edge, but there are always those upsets that no one sees coming, and is this one of those?

The Citadel Football Roster

If this team is based on last year’s production, there is a lot to look back on as the school was coming off a 4-8 season led by Drayton. He probably would like to redo a ton of things, and one of those is getting above playing .500 football.

The Bulldogs enter the matchup with the Aggies coming out of the Southern Conference (SoCon) and have several returning this upcoming season. When those players were part of the roster last year, the team posted a 3-5 conference record and was 2-4 on the road and 2-4 at home. That was last year’s program, and this year’s hopes to turn things around in a hurry.

Coming back to play under center is quarterback Quentin Hayes, alongside running back Sebastien Boyle. and new wide receiver Jordan Jenkins. Some major pieces on that offense will be back, making it easier to know how to make adjustments and improvements going into this massive road match, which is its biggest challenge all season.

Hayes was the starter for six of the 10 games he appeared in and is a major piece of this program. He suffered an injury that kept him off the field, but it didn’t stop him: he completed 25 passes for 455 yards and three touchdowns. He also rushed for 466 yards, ranking second on the team to finish out last year.

If he is able to stay healthy and get his teammates going, even through the noise coming from the 12th Man, it might spark energy and confidence on their sideline to fight on no matter what happens. The defense has several pieces that might limit the A&M offense, as defensive lineman Chris Benton and defensive back Nick Mirabella are big contributors, but they'll be without a few veterans who departed, so questions surround how this unit responds under the bright lights.

The Citadel has a solid group of men that appear to have upgraded, but it all comes down to executing, and A&M has done that with Elko & Co.

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