Texas A&M Aggies ranked among 16 teams capable of winning 2026 national title
Head coach Mike Elko is expected to deflect national championship speculation as the Aggies prepare for the upcoming season with a reshaped roster and a focus on returning to the College Football Playoff.
Sports analyst CFBudge has included the Texas A&M Aggies in a list of 16 teams considered capable of winning the 2026 college football national championship. Ranked 13th on the list, the Aggies enter the season with third-year head coach Mike Elko, returning quarterback Marcel Reed, and significant roster additions from the transfer portal, including edge rusher Anto Saka and offensive lineman Wilkin Formby.
The inclusion in the list was reported by Yahoo Sports, citing an article originally published on Aggies Wire. The article notes that Texas A&M’s 2026 season is less than two months away. Third-year head coach Mike Elko and his staff are currently in the preseason preparation phase. Early media predictions for the Aggies’ season record range from 9-3 to 10-2.
The team added 17 players from the transfer portal, with 65% of the 2025 roster returning. Key returning players include starting quarterback Marcel Reed and wide receiver Mario Craver. On defence, the team lost unanimous All-American edge rusher Cashius Howell, who recorded 11.5 sacks in the SEC, but added Northwestern transfer edge rusher Anto Saka and former North Carolina nose tackle CJ Mims.
The offensive line has been bolstered by four SEC starters from the transfer portal, including former Alabama lineman Wilkin Formby, who was ranked ESPN’s 61st-best transfer addition. Marcel Reed threw for a career-high 3,169 yards and 25 touchdowns in the previous season. The Aggies’ primary focus is returning to the College Football Playoff (CFP).
Head coach Mike Elko is expected to avoid discussing national title hopes during SEC media days. While Texas A&M is not widely considered a national championship contender by the broader national media, the college football landscape has shifted, evidenced by Indiana’s national championship run in the previous season. The Aggies’ defence is described as having one of the deepest secondaries in the country, with senior defensive tackle DJ Hicks and defensive end T.J. Searcy part of the defensive line rotation.
