By Chris Marler
How much buyout money and unnecessary yell leader pizazz is it going to take to not go 8-5?
It’s no secret that Texas A&M is the butt of a lot of jokes from fans around the SEC. The class rings, the yell leaders, and that many legal voting age adults wearing overalls is definitely different from other traditions around the league. However, those traditions aren’t even close to being their worst character flaw.
That is reserved for their annual tradition of, brace yourself – hope.
How many times has Texas A&M entered the season with a top-10 ranking, hype, and potential? The exact number is unclear, but each time, the season has ended in disappointment, underachievement, and, more often than not, an inevitable 8-4 record.
So, how do they get past it? The boosters have already paid well over $100 million to get rid of one coach and bring in someone new. And, while the trajectory of this tenure seems better than the last, it’s hard to gauge any true growth or change yet.
Texas A&M is one of the most difficult teams to trust year after year. It remains the toughest program to convince its peers that this time will be different. There have been seasons like 2020, when the Aggies came close to making the College Football Playoff. There have been moments when they upset the No. 1 team in the country with a backup quarterback, then followed it by signing the highest-ranked recruiting class of all time. They have won seven straight games to earn a top-10 ranking, only to lose four of their last five to close the season.
That one was only a few months ago.
Every other team in this series had one question for 2025 that seems more clear than anything else. Quarterback play, improving the offense, new hires, portal additions, etc.
However, the biggest question with Texas A&M remains: Why should this be the year they finally turn the corner?
Well, the talent is there, and will be for the foreseeable future thanks to the deep pockets helping with NIL. The facilities, support, and coaching are there and seem to be better than they’ve been in the last 5-10 years. Perhaps most importantly, a budding star at quarterback is there in Marcel Reed.
The defense should be better in year two of Elko, and new coaches to help bolster what was one of the worst secondaries in the league. They’ll have a favorable schedule once again. Next year’s slate doesn’t include Georgia, Alabama, Ole Miss, or Tennessee. They get South Carolina at home.
So, maybe the question for Texas A&M in 2025 isn’t what they need to do to actually get over the hump. Or, whether or not this year will be any different than all the others.
Maybe the real question is: how am I once again believing in them?
