Texas A&M will kick off the 2025 college football season against UTSA just seven days from now, which means we’ve reached the point of predicting how coach Mike Elko’s second year at the helm will end up, as the Aggies are attempting to prove that the program is genuinely on the rise, and not ending disappointingly for the fourth consecutive season.
What would this mean? Winning more than eight games for the first time since the 2020 season, which means defeating either Notre Dame, LSU, or Texas on the road, combined with road tests against Arkansas and Missouri. Last season, Texas A&M started an impressive 7-1 before losing star running back Le’Veon Moss against South Carolina, which resulted in finishing the year 1-4, including three consecutive losses to Auburn, Texas, and USC in the Las Vegas Bowl.
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This offseason, Elko and his staff added 14 players from the transfer portal, including wide receivers KC Concepcion and Mario Craver, two of the quickest offensive playmakers who will provide starting quarterback Marcel Reed more separation against SEC secondaries. The Aggies’ veteran offensive line and deep running back room, led by Moss’s return, look like the program’s core strengths.
Yes, Marcel Reed is the focus for most of the Aggie fan base and national media. Still, it’s A&M’s secondary that will also be under the spotlight after allowing too many explosive plays in all five losses last season. Still, the return of senior cornerbacks Will Lee III and Tyreek Chappell, combined with an improved version of Dezz Ricks, should be enough.
For the final time this offseason, here are our staff predictions for Texas A&M’s 2025 season.
Cameron Ohnysty — Lead Writer
It’s now or never for second-year head coach Mike Elko to right the ship and prove that he’s Texas A&M’s long-term option before the doubt begins to seep in. This is simply the reality of life in the SEC, as last season’s 8-5 finish provided Elko a first-year mulligan, and if you’ve heard any quote from the New Jersey native this offseason, he’s not taking last year’s struggles lightly.
On paper, the 2025 roster is built to win nine or ten games. Still, the road ahead is challenging, knowing that to reach the College Football Playoff for the first time in program history, defeating Notre Dame, LSU, or Texas on the road is mandatory. The schedule also features road tests against Arkansas and Missouri, as well as home battles against Florida and South Carolina.
The formula is pretty simple: Marcel Reed needs to stay healthy while utilizing his new wide receiver corps, while the running back room, led by Le’Veon Moss, the return of Rueben Owens, Amari Daniels, and a healthy EJ Smith must consistently produce behind A&M’s veteran offensive line, which is expected to be the team’s core strength.
Mike Elko is now calling defensive plays, which was one of the most significant changes of the offseason. This transition should result in tighter coverage, as senior cornerback Tyreek Chappell’s return will allow the secondary to play man coverage, which should give the newly formed A&M pass rush enough time to swarm the pocket.
As vanilla as this prediction may seem, it all wraps up with Texas A&M finishing 9-3, with likely losses to LSU, Missouri, and Texas on the road.
Record: 9-3 (5-3 SEC)
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Jarrett Johnson — Contributor
2025 is shaping up to be a fascinating season for Texas A&M. The Aggies could very well be a much-improved team and still finish 8–4, yet that record, while arguably a success internally, won’t satisfy the general public. At this point, 8–4 is almost as on-brand as the number 12, but the way Coach Mike Elko has handled the offseason gives fans hope, not just for this year, but for the future.
I believe the Aggies can compete with every team on the schedule. The main concerns lie with LSU and Texas. The LSU matchup comes after a road game against Arkansas, which is always a tough outing. Then it’s off to Baton Rouge, where wins are notoriously hard to come by.
As for Texas, it’s another road game, and the Longhorn defense is stacked. While they have some question marks on offense, they’re a well-coached team, and Arch Manning’s dual-threat ability will put serious pressure on the Aggie defense.
Record: 10-2 (6-2 SEC)
Dylan Flippo — Contributor
The most integral key to this year’s Texas A&M roster is its depth. Head coach Mike Elko enters his second season as the Aggies’ head coach with all starters on the offensive line from 2024 returning, sophomore quarterback Marcel Reed, who could become one of the best gunslingers in the SEC, and the running back room looks to be one of the best in the conference if everyone can stay healthy.
The wide receiving corps has talented additions like KC Concepcion, who was ranked as the No. 7 portal player in the country this offseason. Texas A&M’s defense lost some production with guys like Shemar Turner, Shemar Stewart and Nic Scourton leaving for the NFL, but expect Scooby Williams and Cashius Howell to fill in those gaps.
At the same time, Will Lee III, Jordan Shaw and Julian Humphrey do their thing in the secondary. This program has the talent to be a College Football Playoff team come December, but it will not be an easy road. I have the Aggies going 10-2 (6-2 in the SEC) this season, with their two losses coming on the road against LSU and Texas. With that resume, Texas A&M would likely make the playoffs for the first time in program history.
Record: 10-2 (6-2 SEC)
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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Staff predictions for Texas A&M football’s 2025 season
