Texas A&M’s Path To SEC Championship Is Now Crystal Clear

Survive and advance.

Texas A&M’s football program did that after Saturday’s late-game heroics to come back against South Carolina after trailing by 27 points. Securing the win helped paint the pathway to the SEC Championship Game. It’s simple math.

The Aggies need to defeat the Longhorns in two weeks or hope that the Rebels and Crimson Tide lose in the last regular season week of college football.

Now, coach Mike Elko knows the mission with two weeks left. It starts with handling business against Samford and Texas. Paying attention to the conference standings can matter, but there should be no reason for A&M fans to worry about every other school.

Updated SEC Standings

A detailed view of a Texas A&M Aggies helmet on the sideline prior to the game against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. — Aug 31, 2024; College Station, Texas, USA; A detailed view of a Texas A&M Aggies helmet on the sideline prior to the game against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Kyle Field. | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

At the top. No surprise. It's A&M that can claim bragging rights for being the best team in the conference at 7-0 for the moment. Right behind is the Georgia program, which is currently the only SEC team that is at 7-1.

Two teams that have eyes on them over the next two weekends are Ole Miss and Alabama, both of which are 6-1. A three-way tie at 4-2 is Texas, Oklahoma, and Vanderbilt. At the conclusion of the season, each of these schools could make a compelling argument for inclusion in the college football playoffs; however, the third win puts them at a disadvantage compared to other non-conference teams that are on the outside looking in.

Missouri and Tennessee are at 3-3 after dropping some games earlier in the season that let leads get away. Due to their resumes, there are no fair arguments for them to be in the playoff bracket. LSU falls in that same department with a 3-4 record, especially after firing the head coach.

Kentucky and Florida stand at 2-5 and are at a point in their season where they are playing to build for next year and possibly participate in a bowl game.

Mississippi State, Auburn, and South Carolina are hunting to find a second win to add to an ugly season. Mississippi State and Auburn are at 1-6, while South Carolina slid down to 1-7. The last-place award goes to Arkansas, which is desperately wanting its first SEC win.

Championship Game Information

If anyone knows where the home of the Atlanta Falcons is, that is where the SEC Championship Game kicks off. It is at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

In the first weekend of December, that is when championship week is for every conference. Mark your calendar for December 6 at 3 p.m. Set the DVR for that date on ABC.