Texas A&M Aggies Among 'Best Bets' to Make College Football Playoff?

As the Texas A&M Aggies enter Year 2 under head coach Mike Elko, there is talk of making the College Football Playoff.

Dec 27, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Texas A&M Aggies quarterback Marcel Reed (10) throws the ball against the Southern California Trojans in the first half at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

While there are still those who aren't fully ready to buy in on the Texas A&M Aggies after a disappointing end to last season, the Aggies are still being viewed as a potential "best bet" to make the College Football Playoff this coming season.

According to a recent article from CBS Sports, the Aggies were listed as one of the "best bets" to make the 12-team field this season. This same list included the likes of Clemson, BYU, Washington, and Tennessee as well. But it was Texas A&M's odds, which sit at +245, that may present the best value.

"I'm not entirely sold on Marcel Reed at QB, but a full offseason of prep to be the starter and the experience gained last year could be beneficial," Tom Fornelli writes. "What I am sold on is the group of running backs this team has, which, when paired with Reed, should give the Aggies a solid rushing attack. I'm also sold on a Mike Elko defense because Mike Elko's defenses are always good."

Nov 30, 2024; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies head coach Mike Elko, left, shakes hands with Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian after the game. The Longhorns defeated the Aggies 17-7. at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

The biggest priority of the offseason heading into Year 2 under head coach Mike Elko was upgrading the cast of weapons surrounding his quarterback. The improvements mainly came at receiver, where Texas A&M dipped into the transfer portal to provide an injection of potential explosive playmakers.

This strategy saw them land Kevin Concepcion, Mario Craver, and Jonah Wilson. That was in addition to landing former Texas tight end Amari Niblack, who will help in the passing game.

Concepcion is the most proven of the three receivers the Aggies brought in. At NC State, he was a second-team All-ACC player as a true freshman in 2023. He totaled 839 yards and 10 touchdowns while playing in 13 games. That was good enough to also see him win the conference's Rookie of the Year Award.

While his numbers did drop this past season, as inconsistent quarterback play plagued the Wolfpack, Concepcion still finished with 460 yards and six touchdowns.

As CBS Sports notes, the road to the playoffs won't be easy by any means for Texas A&M. They will likely face at least three ranked opponents in Notre Dame, Texas, and LSU. But even just winning one of those games could be the statement win they need to have a resume worthy of earning a berth into the field.

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