'It would not surprise' Brad Crawford if Texas A&M finished 8-4, 7-5

· Yahoo Sports

It's been a quiet offseason for Texas A&M, as coach Mike Elko's third season at the helm is widely expected to be his most difficult given the new 9-game SEC schedule, combined with the record 10 NFL Draft selections who have departed after the Aggies finished 11-2 while making the College Football Playoff for the first time in program history. This week, Texas A&M came in at No. 8 in the first US LBM Coaches Poll.

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After signing his lucrative six-year extension just weeks before the conclusion of the 2025 campaign, the pressure is on for Elko to not just make it back to the CFP, but continue winning nine or more games each season, and eventually compete and win a national title, given the recruiting/transfer portal success leading up to the 2026 season.

National predictions for Texas A&M's 2026 season have been sporadic, to say the least, but CBS Sports' Brad Crawford has stayed the course in predicting that he "wouldn't be surprised" if Mike Elko's roster finished 8-4, or even 7-5 and outside the Top 25 rankings, given the demanding schedule.

Speaking to SEC Unfiltered host Chris Phillips, who personally predicts that Texas A&M will finish 9-3 with losses at Alabama, Oklahoma, and vs. Texas at home, Crawford referenced the Aggie' dissapointing losses to Texas and Miami, while the memorable 31-30 comeback win after trailing 30-3 at home vs. South Carolina likely serve as the first indication that Texas A&M had lost it's previous identity.

Returning for his second full starting season, quarterback Marcel Reed threw for a career-high 3,169 yards, 25 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions last season, but struggled during the final two losses to Texas and Miami in the first round of the CFP, throwing a combined four interceptions and forcing too many throws.

Any struggles Reed faced should be eliminated after the Aggies added Alabama transfer WR Isaiah Horton, whose 6'4" frame pairs well with junior wideout Mario Craver's twitch and NFL-level speed. Texas A&M's loaded secondary looks like the team's strength outside of wide receiver, while four new starters along the offensive line and several transfer additions in the defensive trenches will play a significant role in determining the Aggies' chances of making it back to the postseason.

In my humble opinion, the only way Texas A&M will finish worse than 9-3 is if injury issues, especially to Marcel Reed, mount late in the season, combined with playcalling issues on offense, knowing that Mike Elko is calling defensive plays and has earned the trust of the fan base. However, the nine-game schedule has the capability of producing utter chaos with more than half of the conference finishing with three to four, or more losses.

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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: 'It would not surprise' Brad Crawford if Texas A&M finished 8-4, 7-5

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