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The Texas A&M Aggies lost a close game to Notre Dame in Week 1. But since then, they’ve won four games in a row. They have a new head coach, Mike Elko, who used to be their defensive coordinator. Their quarterback, Marcel Reed, is playing really well, but they have a big game coming up this weekend.
It’s against Missouri.
This weekend, the Aggies will face Missouri, a team that also joined the SEC in 2012. The Tigers are undefeated at 4-0 but haven’t looked great in their last two games against Boston College and Vanderbilt. Despite being well-coached, Missouri struggles in high-scoring games and when playing from behind.
Both teams have relatively easy schedules ahead. A loss could severely hurt Missouri’s chances of making the College Football Playoff. For Texas A&M, another early-season loss would almost certainly end their playoff hopes. So, could a home win over Missouri pave the way for the Aggies to make it to the CFP?
Let’s dive into what needs to happen for Texas A&M to get a top-12 seed and make the playoffs.
If Texas wins all their remaining games, they’ll make the College Football Playoff as possibly the No. 1 seed. At 11-1 overall and 8-0 in SEC play, they’d go to Atlanta. Even if they lose to Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, or Texas again in a rematch, an 11-2 SEC runner-up still gets in. Unfortunately, it’s hard to see Texas A&M doing better than 10-2.
Even though the Lone Star Showdown will be held at College Station this year, beating Texas seems unlikely for A&M. That was predicted at the start of the season and nothing has changed to alter that view. So, after beating Missouri, Texas A&M would need to win its next five games.
Assuming they beat Missouri, Texas A&M would need victories over Mississippi State, LSU, South Carolina, New Mexico State, and Auburn. If you count losses to Notre Dame and Texas at the beginning and end of the season respectively, they’d need to win ten straight games in between for a serious playoff shot. Beating LSU would be crucial for another quality win.
Texas A&M’s playoff chances aren’t non-existent but they’re more pretenders than contenders right now. However, a strong win over Missouri could change that perception. While a loss might doom Missouri’s season, an Aggies’ victory could offset their Week 1 loss to Notre Dame. A team with 10 or 11 wins has a good chance of getting in.
The only other way A&M makes it is by losing only to LSU or Missouri but upsetting Texas.
