Is Texas A&M A Contender For The 2020 College Football Playoff?

COLLEGE STATION — On paper, Texas A&M should be ready for their best season under Jimbo Fisher. A more relaxed schedule plus the return of a majority of the starting staff should have the Aggies prepared for a date in the SEC Championship.

Then again, the entire SEC West could make their case to head to Atlanta, right?

Every year, fans will believe that their roster is the best in the nation. For Aggie fans, that could be the case should the new crop of talent blend with the returning veterans early on. A No.6 recruiting class should have the Aggies built for the long-term, but also able to address their short-term goals.

ESPN's Heather Dinich recently dove into the impending College Football Playoff rankings and what is the realistic chance for all teams looking to host the CFP Trophy next season. Much like a majority of fans out there, she could see the Aggies as a contender for the award. Still, there are reasons to doubt A&M making their mark as the next LSU of the playoff world.

The program currently ranks as No. 8 in the FPI rankings and No. 10 in the SP+ format. With several teams losing talent and having to replace head coaches, the Aggies could build off that momentum. Dinich, however, still is not sold that A&M will be able to compete with the likes of genuine threats of the most dangerous conference in the sport.

"This program still has a lot to prove under Jimbo Fisher, and last year's grueling schedule was a good barometer of how the Aggies stack up against national title contenders and how far they need to climb to be one," Dinich wrote. "Texas A&M's losses were to Clemson, LSU, Georgia -- the ACC champion, the national champion and the SEC East champion, respectively -- and Alabama and Auburn. Texas A&M has a chance to take advantage of some coaching changes and roster turnover in the SEC West, but if the Aggies are going to win the division, they have to get more from quarterback Kellen Mond."

The Aggies offense will need to take the next leap on offense should they hope to contend. Last season, the sights were high on Mond to break out into QB3 of the SEC behind Alabama's Tua Tagovailoa and Georgia's Jake Fromm. Instead, LSU's Joe Burrow became the face of the NCAA, bring the Tigers a national title and winning the Heisman.

Mond struggled away from College Station but thrived with the 12th Man on his side. Of the nine interceptions thrown by the San Antonio product, seven came on the road against six total touchdowns. That could be the downfall once again for the Aggies in 2020.

"A common trait among past national champions has been outstanding quarterback play, and Texas A&M hasn't had it -- or enough protection from the offensive line, or enough from the running game," Dinich wrote. "The Aggies gave up 34 sacks in the SEC last year, second most in the conference. In those five losses, Texas A&M was outscored by an average of 33.6-15.6."

For scheduling purposes, the Aggies will have a meat of their games in mid-October before closing out against two powerhouses. Both South Carolina and Auburn will return their starting quarterbacks and have weapons on both sides of the ball to keep their hopes of contention alive.

A&M will need those wins to secure their place as the top names in the SEC. Victories against SEC teams are either given or looking tough. These two teams could likely decide what team the Aggies will be on the field next season.

"The back-to-back games at Auburn and South Carolina to close October are critical. Yes, they end the season against Alabama and LSU, games that will help define the SEC West winner, but if Texas A&M can't survive October, the Aggies will be relegated to role of spoiler," Dinich went on to say.

The Aggies could play the spoiler role against the Crimson Tide or Tigers. They also could see their season spoiled early. The Southwest Classic has always been a troublesome game for A&M against Arkansas, as multiple games have gone into overtime to settle the score.

The Razorbacks are going through a rebuild under Sam Pittman but will have former Florida starter Feleipe Franks under center. As for Mike Leach and Mississippi State, KJ Costello should help implement the west coast system down in Starkville.

Plus, close victories over teams like Abilene Christian, North Texas or Fresno State will be hard to surpass in the rankings. A narrow win to the turmoil Colorado roster would raise questions on the Aggies more than anything else when looking at their non-conference schedule.

"Texas A&M starts the season against Abilene Christian, followed by North Texas, Colorado and Arkansas," Dinich wrote. "If the Aggies are going to be taken seriously in the SEC West race, let alone come within striking distance of the top four in 2020, they should be undefeated heading into Mississippi State on Oct. 3, their first true road trip of the season. There's nothing in the first half of the season that's going to wow the committee members, especially when other contenders have more challenging opponents. With Mike Leach in his first season with the Bulldogs, and that game followed by Fresno State, a 6-0 start heading into Auburn isn't an unrealistic expectation."

The Aggies will be viewed as a contender as September approaches. In reality, they should be due to what is coming back, but anything can happen in the world of sports.

It's simple — 10-0 heading into the final two games should be a must. For the year, 11-1 or better needs to be expected.

Anything else should be the knife in the coffin on a down year in Aggieland.