Texas A&M football schedule: Ranking the Aggies' 2022 opponents

Five years in, and Jimbo Fisher seems to have Texas A&M finally on the verge of cracking the code and making its first-ever College Football Playoff.

Last season was a mixed bag of success and failure: A&M knocked off No. 1 Alabama at home, but also lost four games, twice to ranked conference teams, both by 10 points each, and to a pair of unranked teams by a combined 10 points.

Then in the offseason, Fisher and the Aggies signed what most analysts are calling the single greatest recruiting class in modern college football history.

That's quite an accomplishment considering they're going up against the top SEC programs and Texas-based schools for the best prospects in the nation.

Now comes the hard part: taking all that talent and momentum and converting it into a consistent winner each week against an always-brutal SEC West schedule.

How do things look for the Aggies this fall? Let's look at each game on this slate, from the easiest to the hardest.

Texas A&M football schedule: Ranking the Aggies' 2022 opponents

12. UMass

When: Nov. 19

Where: College Station

What to expect: A good late-season breather for the Aggies as they recover from a tough midseason stretch and go into the season finale against LSU. UMass has won two games in the last three seasons and is in the running for being arguably the worst overall team in college football this season.

11. Sam Houston State

When: Sept. 3

Where: College Station

What to expect: As far as early-season FCS opponents go, the Bearkats are actually quite the worthy adversary. This team hasn't lost a game in the regular season since Nov. 16, 2019, a field goal loss to NW State. Sam Houston scored under 40 points just twice a year ago before making the playoffs.

10. Appalachian State

When: Sept. 10

Where: College Station

What to expect: An early season tilt against the first-place finisher in its conference that last season lost at Miami by just two and upset a ranked Coastal Carolina team at home. App State has been one of the most solid Group of 5 programs in the last several years, but this time the Mountaineers are debuting new faces at quarterback, running back, and on the offensive line.

9. South Carolina

USA Today Images

When: Oct. 22

Where: Columbia

What to expect: Carolina outpaced expectations by a long way in Year 1 under coach Shane Beamer, winning seven games and beating UNC in a bowl. Now in comes a pair of game-changing transfers from Oklahoma in quarterback Spencer Rattler and tight end Austin Stogner. It's not an overreaction to say those two players alone will make this a much better offense — provided Beamer and his staff can protect them better behind a line that allowed 31 sacks last season. A&M's front seven can make a statement there.

8. Florida

When: Nov. 5

Where: College Station

What to expect: We should have a clear idea of what first-year coach Billy Napier is able to do with this team by November. There's quite a to-do list for the Gators, whose defense allowed almost four TDs per game a year ago, and needs to so some surgery on its front and back seven alignment. Not to mention a decision at quarterback, but expect dual-threat Anthony Richardson to be the option there.

7. Mississippi State

When: Oct. 1

Where: Starkville

What to expect: Mike Leach and the Bulldogs took the Aggies down at Kyle Field in a four-point game last fall, and now MSU has pieces coming back on offense, including quarterback Will Rogers, a nearly 5,000 yard passer last fall with 36 TDs, that should be able to replicate their 2021 production and this defense — 4th overall in the SEC last season — brings back eight starters and looks much improved.

6. Auburn

When: Nov. 12

Where: Auburn

What to expect: A solid Auburn defense that allowed about three TDs per game loses some playmakers, and this receiver room will have to be developed, not to mention a major decision at quarterback. Quite the laundry list for an already embattled head coach in Bryan Harsin entering Year 2. Still, the Aggies have to be on guard as they'll be coming out of a tough stretch that includes three straight road games and then at home to Ole Miss and Florida.

5. Miami

When: Sept. 17

Where: College Station

What to expect: Mario Cristobal steps in after turning Oregon into a national recruiting power, and he massively upgraded the Canes' support coaching staff, too. That, plus quarterback Tyler Van Dyke returning, makes Miami a could-be contender in the ACC — just eight combined points kept this team from going undefeated in conference last season, and it beat two ranked league teams in NC State and Pitt. This is a sneaky challenge for A&M three weeks into the year.

4. Ole Miss

When: Oct. 29

Where: College Station

What to expect: Texas A&M returns home from a three-week road trip and welcomes in an SEC West opponent going through some major structural changes. Ole Miss beat the Aggies in Oxford by 10 last fall, but a ton of the production behind that upset is gone, including Matt Corral, Jerrion Early, Dontario Drummond, and more. The Rebels scored quarterback Jaxson Dart and running back Zach Evans as transfers, but this team is a work in progress.

3. Arkansas

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When: Sept. 24

Where: Arlington

What to expect: Even considering how improved the Razorbacks were a year ago, they shouldn't have taken down A&M by 10 points in their last meeting. KJ Jefferson — one of the SEC's top quarterbacks a year ago — will return, but he won't have star Treylon Burks, a thousand-yard receiver in 2021, to lean on. And the Razorbacks have some holes to patch up on defense with four returning starters. This will be the Aggies' first game away from College Station.

2. LSU

When: Nov. 26

Where: College Station

What to expect: A&M has dropped nine of the last 11 meetings against LSU, but the series is tied at 2-2 in the last four. Now in comes Brian Kelly from Notre Dame to put LSU back into the SEC West race, fresh off some real recruiting gains and a few choice transfers, but with major roster holes in the secondary and offensive line. Based on pure talent, LSU should be one of the SEC's best teams on paper, but we'll see if Kelly can turn that potential into an actual contender.

1. Alabama

USA Today Images

When: Oct. 8

Where: Tuscaloosa

What to expect: Everyone knows what Alabama is, and this offseason it may have gotten better after signing transfer wideout Jermaine Burton from Georgia and running back Jahmyr Gibbs from Georgia Tech. That's in addition to LSU corner Eli Ricks and Vandy tackle Tyler Steen. Not to mention the defending SEC champions return Heisman winning QB Bryce Young and linebacker Will Anderson, college football's leader in sacks and TFLs last year. But, as last season's win over the No. 1 Tide shows, A&M can beat this team on any given Saturday.

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