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Texas A&M Fans in Shambles After Latest Announcement From ESPN

ESPN’s flagship college football program is coming to Texas A&M.
DJ Burton|
ESPN host Rece Davis sits on the College GameDay set before a Big 12 Conference football game, Saturday, Nov. 8, 2025, at Jones AT&T Stadium.
ESPN host Rece Davis sits on the College GameDay set before a Big 12 Conference football game, Saturday, Nov. 8, 2025, at Jones AT&T Stadium. | Nathan Giese/Avalanche-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Texas A&M Aggies

Texas A&M fans should be extremely excited.

The Aggies are the best they have been in 30 years, they have a solid head coach who will be sticking around for the next few years, they have a Heisman candidate quarterback who will be coming back in 2026, they get to host a home playoff game, the list of things to be excited about goes on and on.

On Wednesday, ESPN’s College GameDay announced it would make the trip to College Station, Texas for the Aggies’ first-round College Football Playoff game against the Miami Hurricanes at Kyle Field. Texas A&M fans’ hearts dropped.

Why is Hosting College GameDay a Bad Thing?

Texas A&M Aggies Marcel Reed Kyle Field
Texas A&M Aggies quarterback Marcel Reed (10) reacts after a play during the second quarter against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Kyle Field. | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Texas A&M is 1-3 when hosting College GameDay. In 2024, the show came to Aggie Park twice. The first time was for Texas A&M’s first game of the season, a matchup with a Riley Leonard-led Notre Dame squad. The game marked the beginning of quarterback Conner Weigman’s time in the Maroon and White as the Fighting Irish beat the Aggies 23-13.

The second time Pat McAfee and the crew came to College Station, the Aggies lost to the Texas Longhorns in the first Lone Star Showdown in over 10 years.

Overall, the Aggies are 1-5 when playing in a game showcased by College GameDay. Luckily for the Aggies, it seems like if a “curse” were to be broken, it would be this year. The Fightin’ Farmers broke the rumored “Ted Cruz Curse,” the “Ranked Road Opponent Curse,” and are still trying to curb Battered Aggie Syndrome forever.

Even with A&M’s record against College GameDay, coach Mike Elko is heading into Kyle Field with confidence because of the 12th Man.

”I think playing in Kyle Field is an advantage to the home team,” Elko said on Monday. “I'm excited for that. I'm excited to see our students turn out. I'm excited to see our fans turn out. It'll be really cool to see that number post on the screen with how many people showed up for an 11 a.m. kick because I still think that's what makes college football unique here at Texas A&M. I think that, more than anything."

Although the College GameDay crew will be in College Station on Saturday, they will be coming off a unique Friday evening show in Norman, Oklahoma ahead of the Alabama vs Oklahoma game.

Texas A&M is set to take on Miami at 11am CT on Saturday, Dec. 20. The winner will move on to play Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl.

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DJ Burton
DJ BURTON

DJ Burton is a journalist from Kingwood, Texas. He is a credentialed writer for Texas A&M Aggies On SI. He graduated from Texas A&M with a journalism major and a sport management minor. Before attending A&M, Burton played offensive line for two seasons at Hiram College in northeast Ohio, where he studied sport management. Burton brings experience covering football, baseball, softball, men’s and women’s basketball and volleyball. He also served as a senior sports writer for A&M’s student newspaper, The Battalion.

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