Paul Finebaum Shreds Texas A&M After Deflating College Football Playoff Loss

Paul Finebaum can't seem to shake a feeling of disappointment regarding how the Texas A&M Aggies season ended

Oct 5, 2024; College Station, Texas, USA; SEC Nation analyst Paul Finebaum looks on prior to the game between the Texas A&M Aggies and the Missouri Tigers at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images. | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

The Texas A&M Aggies were one of the hottest teams this season, starting 11-0 and looking to go undefeated on the regular season for the first time since the turn of the century. That was until they matched up against their bitter rivals, the Texas Longhorns, who handed them their first loss of the season.

Regardless, though, the Aggies still made it into the College Football Playoff and found themselves hosting the Miami Hurricanes in the program's first CFP appearance. After a poor offensive showing, they found themselves eliminated and on a two-game losing streak to end the season, despite their promising start.

Now, ESPN analyst Paul Finebaum says he can't shake the feeling of how the season ended. Despite their success early on, the ending left a bad taste in his mouth, but is that justified?

Get Out of It's Own Shadow

Dec 20, 2025; College Station, TX, USA; Miami Hurricanes linebacker Mohamed Toure (1) hits Texas A&M Aggies running back Rueben Owens II (4) at the goal line during the second half of the first round game of the CFP National Playoff at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The Aggies had everything in front of them heading into Thanksgiving week. They were the number three-ranked team in the country, the top team in the SEC, and had a chance to win the Lone Star Showdown for the first time in over a decade. It seemed like everything after that game snowballed into their performance the rest of the season, leaving a sour taste for what could have been.

“I’ll spare you the preamble that everybody already knows, I mean, on paper, it was a really good year, and I think he’s done a phenomenal job lifting that program up," Finebaum said on McElroy and Cubelic. “But the way it ended reminded people a lot of just the fact that Texas A&M can’t seem to get out of its own shadow sometimes, and it couldn’t have gone any worse... A&M is going to walk out of the season feeling like they left a lot on the table."

Still, the Aggies hit 11 wins, their first time reaching that number since 2012, and only the third time overall since 1998. They made the College Football Playoff for the first time in program history, and they had all of this success in just year two of the Mike Elko reign. So, why does it still feel bad?

“You can’t say with 11 wins you underperformed when it’s one of your best seasons ever, but it doesn’t feel very good," Finebaum continued on the morning show. "I came away feeling terrible about A&M in terms of the way this season went, even though I know better and I should be thinking more positively of it.” 

Maybe some of it is 'Battered Aggie Syndrome', some of it could be actual disappointment from how the season ended. Either way, the Aggies are onto next season, and while there is a lot to celebrate from the 2025 season, that sour taste might linger until 2026 kicks off.