The SEC Forum at College Football Fan Site, CFB51!!!

So, A&M playing Miami in it's first CFP game.  I think we're very evenly matched, and I like our odds with the game being at home.  

I'm excited about this game not just because of our potential playoff run, but how well we have done (overall) under Elko.  Last year it seemed like we were turning a corner, and then we laid an egg in November, but we still finished with 8 wins, and came tantalizingly close to 9/10 wins.  OT loss vs Auburn, and then a late collapse against USC in the bowl game.  One of the things I've harped on on this board and others is how A&M has not had two *successful seasons in a row since the early 90's.  

Successful means either conference champions, or 10+ wins.  You may be able to call 97/97 successful, because in 97 we reached the Big 12 CCG, but we got bodied by Nebraksa when they were peak NU, and then lost the bowl game to an also very good UCLA and Cade McNown.  1998 we obviously won the Big 12, but in 1999 we took a step back, and then it was pretty much the Mack and Stoops show for a decade plus.  

So all that being said, 8-5 last year, 11-1 this year with the chance to win 12 or more is a wonderful year in my book.  I'm not sure who all is returning in '26, and frankly with the NIL and portal and all the noise I don't think anybody knows, even the players yet.  But I like the direction we're trending, and if Elko can maintain momentum in '26 and beyond it will be the first time in 3 decades we've had real sustained success.

I have to temper myself because the schedule is very tough , and success may not be measured in W/L.  Also, we will have new OC/DC among other staff changes.  But Alabama and Georgia have the same issues year over year.  

Well, to be clear, NOBODY is on the same level as Georgia and Alabama over the last ~10-15 years.  So I don't expect us to be there either, but I think we (or any program really) can approach that level of consistency year over year.  

What I'm really saying is that we all deal with the same issues.  Talent leaving, coaches leaving, tough schedules, injuries, constant distractions. The good programs adapt and overcome, the others swing up and down with the tides.  Which is why I said I had to temper my expectations for '26 not in terms of W/L but more on how we stack up and match up.  Anytime you play LSU, Florida, Texas, Mizzouri, USCe, Arkansas and win all but 1 I'd call that a successful year.  Next year we get to play @LSU for the 2nd year in a row, and @ Bama.  and to finish the season we get @OU and Texas.  I made a back of the napkin guess a few days ago, I think we can be on par with some of these teams, and would take help to win a couple.  

Nobody knows yet how OU will shake out next year, or if Bama is really sustaining under KDB, or if UTenn will be able to bounce back from a disappointing '25.  8 wins is pretty much our default as it's often joked about, so if we can just squeak by 1-2 more games we're knocking on the CFP and 10 wins again, and that would be a true measure of success to me.  I'm not yet ready to declare Elko some kind of football god but I'm pleased with what he's done so far.  

it is going to be increasingly difficult to replicate elite results yr to yr due to the portal. who has depth? it's a relative question but the answer is no one has what they used to. optimistically it could make the playoff increasingly entertaining once they fix this james madison nonsense. 

how much better would ole miss/notre dame & oregon/texas be than what we're getting this week? those would be great games. instead we have two turds.

i u/s you - i'm just talking about the landscape moreover as opposed to pushing back necessarily on your expectations/hopes.

i think it will be interesting to see if any of these schools develop nil fatigue at some point.

as for this game texas clearly (to me) gelled the last half of the season offensively. they worked vandy & the georgia game was misleading if you didn't watch it. that turned on a wonderfully timed onside kick. uga deserves credit but in no way are they winning 35-10 in a rematch. i say all that to say by the time they got to atm they were playing at an elite level imo & had them at home. thinking about that result & miami losing to turds like louisville & smu i just have a hard time believing they're going to go on the road & win at atm. feels like a 30-27 type game to me.