The Shocking Number That Will Determine Texas A&M's Success in 2026

The Texas A&M Aggies found success last season, finally breaking through the long-endured struggles from the program. The school found itself making an appearance in the College Football Playoffs for the first time.

While it might seem like that was the beginning of something in College Station, head coach Mike Elko knows nothing is promised in this sport, and his team must be retooled properly if he wants to make another run and sustain the success he found.

The talent seems to be there again, and the defense will once again be tasked with being the bright spot of the team, which has become the norm under Elko's reign. However, to take the next step, the Aggies will need to improve in the secondary this upcoming year.

Finding Turnovers

Texas A&M Aggies cornerback Dezz Ricks (2) looks on during the game between the Aggies and the Hurricanes at Kyle Field. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The defense in College Station will be elite again, well, at least that is what is expected from Elko and his staff, as he has prided himself on being one of the top defensive-minded coaches in the sport. While replacing the talent lost to the NFL Draft is the worry, the Aggies have done exactly that.

Bringing in plenty of talent from the transfer portal, combined with the depth in the position rooms being ready for their moment, the program seems primed to be once again one of the most feared units in the country.

With those expectations, though, the Aggies were not among the most feared secondaries in the country, a position that could completely determine their success on the field this upcoming season. While ranked as one of the most efficient groups against the pass, including being top-20 on the year in opponent completion percentage, yards per pass, and passing yards per game, they struggled to force turnovers.

Typically, when a defense is one of the better coverage teams in the country and the No. 1 team in sack percentage, sacking opposing quarterbacks on 10.34 percent of passing plays, it results in more interceptions.

The Aggies were against the norm in that regard, coming up with an interception on .82 percent of pass plays, which ranked 132nd out of 136 teams. Even worse, teams were throwing against them 52.05 percent of the time, which was 119th in the country for this past season.

With new faces along the defensive line and varying expectations for whether they can replicate the success that group found last season, the Aggies secondary will need to be better in 2026. It is now their turn to pick up the mantle and be the dominant group on the field.

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