The season is mere days away (19 to be exact), and at long last, we finally have a preseason Associated Press Top 25 poll. After coming in at No. 8 in the Coaches Poll, the Aggies landed in the same spot in the AP Top 25 today.
BREAKING: Preseason College Football AP Poll🚨https://t.co/JL3USE6MnTpic.twitter.com/wImUOmUUg5
— On3 (@On3) August 17, 2026
For a team who lost 10 players to the NFL Draft (including four offensive linemen), it sure is interesting that both of these polls have the Aggies firmly in the top 10 nationally and also sitting at third in the SEC. It’s a testament to Mike Elko, his staff and the roster/culture they’ve built over the past 2.5 years that even in a “rebuilding” season, there are a lot of expectations for this team (the ability to reload via the transfer portal certainly helps as well).
The schedule for the Ags this season includes six teams ranked in the preseason top 25, most notably, four ranked teams in the last five games (at Alabama, Tennessee, at Oklahoma, Texas). If A&M wants to defeat the late-season collapse narrative they are certainly going to have to earn it.
The Aggies open the season at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 5, when they host Missouri State at Kyle Field.