Texas A&M Must Avoid These Traps On Their 2026 Schedule

Texas A&M’s football season is quickly approaching, with high expectations for the program to make another run and punch a ticket to the College Football Playoff.

There are three non-conference games scheduled, all at Kyle Field. Two of those matchups are very possibly ones where a loss might be dropped, and no one sees it coming.

Those are the games the Aggies have to make sure don't go down as losses, because if they do, the committee will see it and put an asterisk by it, which doesn’t enhance the resume as much. Avoid taking losses to these programs, and it helps the body of work that head coach Mike Elko & Co. have put together.

Missouri State

Missouri Stae football. — Missouri State wide receiver Tristian Gardner (15) carries the ball for a touchdown as offensive lineman Mark Hutchinson (72) celebrates during the homecoming football game against UTEP on Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025. | Michael Gulledge/Special to the News-Leader / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Ending this showdown, the Bears did not have much preseason hype about what they could do this upcoming season. The school just went through a coaching search and hired Casey Woods as the next leader to elevate them to the next level. That hire brought other changes on both sides of the football, but it didn’t mean all the players wanted to play elsewhere.

Woods announced that he had more than 70 players returning to play for him, which really helps him build a winning culture. It doesn’t necessarily help Elko & Co., because those players will have developed and grown, and might be tougher to prepare for and execute against when it's said and done.

It is the home opener at Kyle Field with over 100,00 fans expected to be in attendance. There have been times where the Maroon and White in the past have dropped games that shouldn't have spoiled a feel-good win. In Elko’s first two seasons, he has posted a 22-7 record, with those seven losses coming against schools that were not power five teams.

If A&M finds a way to drop this one, it will be hard to climb out of. As long as the players have a strong week of practice and can lock in underneath the bright lights, there is nothing to be concerned about.

The Citadel

Another under-the-radar game that not a lot of people circled as must-watch TV is the one against the Bulldogs. This program comes from the Southern Conference, with fewer than 4,000 students. A&M is much larger than that, with a lot more highly recruited stars. That doesn’t mean it's a mismatch. It just favors one side based on what's presented on the table.

Quentin Hayes is the quarterback anticipated to take over the offense after transferring from Air Force and has experience finding ways to make plays. Last season, he threw for 897 yards with eight touchdowns and made the most of his time on the field, with his season high in yards passing coming in the last game of the season. He has arm talent that A&M's defense has to be aware of and limit.

If there is a way Hayes keeps The Citadel in the matchup and posts some points, watch it revive his defense that doesn’t strike many people to collect a ton of stops. Defensive coordinator Raleigh Jackson likes to run different schemes, so A&M could walk into trouble if it isn’t able to accomplish its goals.

Neither Missouri State nor The Citadel can be overlooked. Elko will have his team ready to play, but can these matchups result in wins?

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