Texas A&M Awaits Gauntlet Schedule with Five AP Preseason Top-25 Opponents

With the release of the preseason AP Poll, Texas A&M's path to the College Football Playoffs must pass through a vigorous test of Southeastern and non-conference juggernauts.

Jul 17, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Texas A&M Aggies head coach Mike Elko talks to the media during the SEC Media Days at Omni Atlanta Hotel. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images | Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images

The quest for glory at Hard Rock Stadium in the 2026 National Championship begins on Aug. 30 for Texas A&M football when it takes on UTSA, and from there, the competition will grow even more fierce.

As the preseason AP Poll was revealed on Aug 11, a glimpse of the perilous journey that awaits the Aggies was made quite clear, as five of their twelve regular-season opponents find themselves joining Coach Mike Elko & Co. among the top-25 programs in the country.

Mountain Climbing

The Aggies will have their work cut out for them, as each of their five ranked opponents comes in higher in the polls, including three rematches of 2024 season defeats against Texas, Notre Dame, and South Carolina. Additionally, all but one of these opponents join A&M in the SEC.

Here is the full list of preseason-ranked opponents A&M will face in the coming season:

No. 1 Texas Longhorns

No. 6 Notre Dame

No. 9 LSU

No. 13 South Carolina

No. 15 Florida

War Path

With already a daunting task at hand, A&M's playoff hopes ride on the ability to wage war in hostile territory. Three of its five preseason-ranked opponents will be played on the road, including a trip to Austin to wrap up the regular season.

Jul 15, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisan talks to the media during SEC Media Days at Omni Atlanta Hotel. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images | Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images

Having not finished a season with double-digit wins in over a decade, A&M will need Elko to rally his troops in order to overcome the odds that have seemed to hold the program relatively stagnant since 2012.

Swamps and Bayous

Florida and LSU will be pivotal games should the Aggies gain enough steam to compete for a title, as A&M will take a trip to Death Valley and the Gators will leave the Swamp for the confines of Kyle Field.

Both Florida and LSU were stumped by superb performances from quarterback Marcel Reed, a feat he will look to replicate to keep the Aggies' boat afloat. Six combined touchdowns and no turnovers for Reed were the difference makers, and his 2025 season's success is riding on him to impress once more.

Oct 26, 2024; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies quarterback Marcel Reed (10) reacts against the LSU Tigers during the third quarter. The Aggies defeated the Tigers 38-23; at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images. | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

Rematch Redemption

The Aggies will be looking to exact their revenge on a narrow loss to Notre Dame in Week 1 of the 2024 season, and if they can topple the Irish, there's a very good chance that the Oct. 11 matchup against Florida could rise into a top-10 midseason battle.

Notre Dame won't be the only team with a target on its back for A&M, as the Longhorns will look to keep their momentum and crush postseason dreams for the Aggies once again. But with a team that is returning the majority of its key starters, including the offensive line and running back room, who is to say the Aggies don't go on a long run into December?