Joel Klatt names 'dangerous' SEC program with College Football Playoff potential

FOX Sports analyst Joel Klatt contemplated the college football landscape on his podcast and landed on an SEC program that has caught his attention with SEC title game and CFP potential. Klatt lauded Texas A&M and second-year coach Mike Elko for their season to date.

Klatt's take

Mike Elko has done a fabulous job. I've been saying this ever since he got hired, folks, that he is a good fit at A&M. He understands the culture, which is incredibly unique. He's a good football coach. They've been getting better and better on the defensive side to the point where the last two weeks they've played suffocating defense in SEC play. I like their quarterback, Marcel Reed. I really love Craver and Concepcion on the outside. This is a dangerous team. If they were to go to LSU and beat LSU, that would tell us everything we need to know about their prospects and really likely put them in.... the CFP.
Joel Klatt

A&M's season

The 5-0 Aggies have gutted out close wins of Notre Dame and Auburn, but their 5-0 performance is drawing more attention. Marcel Reed has thrown for 1,256 yards and 11 touchdowns and the two transfer receivers, Mario Craver from Mississippi State (30 receptions, 557 yards, 4 TDs) and Kevin Concepcion from NC State (24 receptions, 401 yards, 5 TDs) have both been impact players. Le'Veon Moss (343 yards, 5 TDs) and Rueben Owens (276 yards) have both played well on the ground attack.

After stepping side from Jimbo Fisher after 2023, A&M has recovered quickly under Elko. There are only two ranked opponents left on A&M's schedule, LSU on October 25th and Missouri on November 8th, Both games are on the road, but the Aggies have a bye week between the two games.

Klatt singled out the LSU battle as one of the most significant games in the remaining college football season. With a loss already to Ole Miss and an inconsistent offense, LSU seems to be one of the SEC's potential Playoff teams that's fading. A&M could likely finish the job and all but seal its own CFP bid in Week 9 by Klatt's reasoning.