Texas A&M Cannot Afford Another November Full of Excuses

With the bye week over and another ranked road matchup against South Carolina on the horizon, Texas A&M football is looking to turn the page. Unfortunately for the Aggies, it won't be for a spot in the College Football Playoff, as a disastrous 1-4 record in Southeastern Conference play has doomed them to the postseason picture, at least one competing for a national title.

However, with a 4-4 overall record, there's still something worth fighting for. For head coach Mike Elko's unit, it's a matter of securing a winning record, assessing talent and gaining bowl eligibility. Easy to say on paper, harder to do in practice, as the Aggies have three more ranked opponents to play as well as a toss-up game on the road in Norman, Oklahoma.

Sure, there are plenty of reasons the Maroon and White have gotten themselves into this situation, but excuses rarely offer enough solace in a lost season. So where do the Aggies go from here, and what does the rest of the year look like given the circumstances? More importantly, what does another failed November mean for a program trying to get back into the spotlight?

Meeting the Minimum

Oct 10, 2026; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Texas A&M Aggies head coach Mike Elko watches play against the Missouri Tigers during the first half of the game at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

In the first two years of Elko's tenure, the Aggies have undergone plenty of adversity in the last month of the regular season. In both campaigns, they fell to arch rival Texas and lost out on a spot in the SEC Championship game, and this year, they will face them again at Kyle Field. For many coaches, defeating rival schools is the least one can do to keep belief in the program, but with A&M defeating just one of its nemeses (Arkansas) in 2026, taking care of the Longhorns would go a long way in getting more buy-in into the future of the program.

But that would be just one win at the end of the year, and the Aggies need at least two to secure bowl eligibility. Over the last 20 years, they have missed out on the postseason just three times and only once in the last decade; therefore, it will be up to Elko's squad to make it three years in a row under his leadership for the Aggies to go bowling.

Additionally, Elko must prove he is still invested in the team no matter what situation it has found itself in and that he is committed to winning out. Meaning, he needs to strengthen his accountability and clear the house when necessary. Oklahoma and Oregon are two Power 4 teams that have fired their respective offensive coordinators for their inefficiency midseason, and a move like that, if A&M puts up another dud against the Gamecocks, would provide a clear path in looking for the future play-caller.

Talent assessment will be paramount as well, as the Aggies will likely have a new quarterback in 2027. Quarterback Marcel Reed has regressed in every major statistical category and sits at the bottom of the SEC in most areas; therefore, the rest of the season is the perfect time to see whether his replacement is currently on the roster. Backup Brady Hart seems willing to step up and earn his chance, while former five-star recruit Helaman Casuga was brought in to be the quarterback of A&M's future.

If the Aggies can hit these marks in November, there's hope they can turn it around by the time the CFP expands to 24 teams next year. Failing to do so would be yet another negative end to the regular season, marred by what could have been rather than taking a positive into the offseason.

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