College football analyst makes bold prediction for Texas A&M's odds to reach 2025 CFP
According to college football analyst Kelley Ford, the Aggies have a real shot at receiving an at-large bid in the CFP if Mike Elko and company control their destiny. Ford's analytics have Texas A&M with a 60% chance or more to win nine games this season, with the lowest projected chance to win being 16% on the road against the Texas Longhorns.
Advertisement
Here is the full breakdown of rankings, percentages, and where Elko's squad ranks heading into this year's campaign:
While the Aggies' chances of winning nine games are high, the win-loss projections still have the program finishing 8-4 this season, which would be a massive disappointment for most in Elko's second year at the helm, considering the team has some of the top talent in the Southeastern Conference on its roster.
Ford recently made a guest appearance on "That SEC Podcast" to discuss his rankings and projections for each SEC team in 2025. In talks about Texas A&M with host Michael Bratton, also known as SEC Mike, Ford made a bold statement for the Aggies' chances of breaking more than eight wins for the first time since 2020.
Texas A&M's road to the CFP has more than its fair share of roadblocks along the way, as competing in the SEC is a competitive and challenging endeavor. It helps the Aggies' odds having a talented dual-threat sophomore quarterback under center in Marcel Reed and a promising wide receiving corps that features NC State transfer KC Concepcion.
Advertisement
As the models continue to trend upward for the program, time will tell if Elko can lead his team to historic heights in just his second year in College Station.
Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Dylan on X: @dylanmflippo.
This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: College football analyst predicts Texas A&M's odds to reach 2025 CFP

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
a minute ago
- Yahoo
Browns sign rookie wide receiver Isaiah Bond after sexual assault case is dropped
Undrafted rookie wide receiver Isaiah Bond signed with the Cleveland Browns on Monday, less than a week after a sexual assault case against him was dropped. Bond ran a 4.39 in the 40-yard dash at the NFL scouting combine — the ninth-fastest time among wide receivers — and was projected to be drafted in the middle rounds before he was accused of sexual assault and surrendered on April 10 in Frisco, Texas. A Collins County, Texas, grand jury determined Thursday that there was not enough evidence to indict Bond and dismissed the case. The Browns hosted Bond as one of their 30 predraft visits. Cleveland offensive coordinator Tommy Rees coached at Alabama the two seasons Bond was there, which also weighed into the decision. Cleveland general manager Andrew Berry said in a statement that the organization spent the past four months doing 'extensive research that includes but is not limited to hearing from both sides of the case and receiving the results of an independently administered polygraph test. 'Before the allegations, we also spent a great deal of time with Isaiah during the draft process on campus, at the Combine and at our facilities. His time at Alabama with Tommy Rees also weighed heavily on our assessment of his ability to operate successfully in a professional environment if brought into our organization. It is these touchpoints and more that gave us the necessary insights to make this decision.' Bond spent last season at Texas. He appeared in 41 games in college and had 99 receptions for 1,428 yards and 10 touchdowns. To make room for Bond, Cleveland waived long snapper Brent Matiscik. Unsigned second-round pick Quinshon Judkins also had a domestic violence case against him dropped Thursday in Florida, but there was no word on when the running back might possibly be signed. The Browns conclude the preseason on Saturday against the Los Angeles Rams. Even though there are only a couple of weeks until the Sept. 7 opener against Cincinnati, coach Kevin Stefanski said Sunday he thinks both Bond and Judkins — or any player added to the roster this week — can make up for lost time. 'That happens during the season, can happen in training camp where you got, you have to get players up to speed quickly,' Stefanski said. "That happens sometimes you get a guy on a Wednesday and they have to play on a Sunday. So that's part of our job as coaches, is to get them ready to roll.' ___ AP NFL:


New York Post
2 minutes ago
- New York Post
2025 SEC preview: Odds, picks, and predictions for Texas, Alabama, Georgia and more
New York Post may be compensated and/or receive an affiliate commission if you click or buy through our links. Featured pricing is subject to change. The SEC's much-repeated slogan, 'It just means more,' couldn't ring truer these days. The arrival of Texas and Oklahoma, blended with the it-only-goes-up ethos of NIL, has turned the SEC from a juggernaut into whatever is directly above a juggernaut. Now 16 teams deep and boasting five of the top-10 favorites to win the National Championship, the SEC is a league of its own. It's also wide open. Gone are the days of flipping a coin between Alabama and either LSU or Georgia. Overnight, the SEC has morphed from one of the dullest conferences to arguably the most electric. It just means more. 2025 SEC odds Team Odds to win the SEC Texas +250 Georgia +325 Alabama +450 LSU +700 Ole Miss 14/1 Texas A&M 14/1 Florida 18/1 South Carolina 20/1 Tennessee 20/1 Auburn 22/1 Oklahoma 25/1 Missouri 50/1 Arkansas 150/1 Kentucky 300/1 Vanderbilt 300/1 Mississippi State 500/1 Odds via bet365 The Favorites Texas checks into the new season as the favorite to win both the SEC and the College Football Playoff. It's not surprising, given their terrific 2024 campaign and the hype surrounding Arch Manning, but these prices are out of hand. Texas is extremely talented, Manning could be generational, and Steve Sarkisian had them knocking on the door of both an SEC and a National Championship in 2024. Still, in this new era of college football, it may not be enough just being one of the best on-paper teams in the country. And that's assuming the Longhorns tick that box, which is not a given. The teams at the top, especially in the SEC, are just way too good these days to play such a short favorite. You can apply similar logic to Georgia, though the Bulldogs are not receiving the same kind of hype as Texas coming into the new season. 3 Ryan Williams is among the most electric rookies we've ever seen. Icon Sportswire via Getty Images Betting on College Football? Instead, Georgia feels like the 'safe' option compared to Texas, but I think both teams have too many holes to be interesting at these prices. Alabama is the one favorite that I have interest in backing, but I'd rather bet the Crimson Tide to win the National Championship at 10/1 than the SEC at half the price. If you're a believer in Kalen DeBoer, which I am, you have few reasons to doubt the Tide coming into 2025. ESPN's Bill Connelly, the inventor of SP+, has 'Bama ranked as the best team in the SEC and No. 2 in the country behind Ohio State, but the betting market and public perception are down on the Tide because of their inconsistent performance in Year 1 under deBoer. Buying low on Alabama is never a bad idea. The Dark Horses There are going to be plenty of people backing LSU at +700 just because Garrett Nussmeier has the potential to be the best quarterback in the country, but that number seems a little short considering the questions that will be asked of this team. LSU's defense improved in Blake Baker's first year as defensive coordinator, but it still needs to get better to challenge Alabama, Georgia, and Texas. The Bayou Bengals also have a brutal start to their schedule with a trip to Clemson in their opener and then dates with Florida, Ole Miss, and South Carolina before Columbus Day. If you are keen on backing the Tigers, you can probably wait and see if you can buy low after a loss. 3 LaNorris Sellers is a Heisman hopeful for the South Carolina Gamecocks. AP Perhaps no team is getting more sleeper hype in the SEC than Florida in 2025, but I just don't see it in the context of challenging for a championship. They're talented, they have an outstanding quarterback, and they finished 2024 bouncing, but the schedule is just dementedly tough. Only Oklahoma has a harder projected schedule in the entire country. Florida is the better team than South Carolina on paper, but I'd rather bet the Gamecocks, who are as high as 35/1 in the market, than the Gators. South Carolina's schedule closes out with a gauntlet, but it's manageable out of the gates with Virginia Tech, South Carolina State, Vanderbilt, Missouri (away), and Kentucky before a trip to Baton Rouge on Oct. 11. There's a good chance the Gamecocks are going into Death Valley with an unblemished record against an LSU team that could be licking its wounds. Auburn, too, could be lying in the weeds if Hugh Freeze gets it right with his quarterback. The Tigers were unfortunate in just about every way in 2024, and they had a young roster that should get better, but it could also completely fall apart if former blue-chip recruit Jackson Arnold continues to be inconsistent under center. 3 Sam Pittman and the Razorbacks could be boom or bust in 2025. AP The Long Shots Vanderbilt was a darling in 2025 after upsetting Alabama and going to a bowl game, but they're still this far down the board for good reason. Clark Lea has this program trending up, and there will be some great opportunities to back Diego Pavia and the Commodores to pull some more stunners this season, but the futures market is uninteresting for this group. I also think there will be a lot of strong buying opportunities on Mississippi State in Year 2 under Jeff Lebby, but the Bulldogs still have a lot of work to do to climb the ladder. The one long shot I could make a slight argument for at their high-water mark price of 200/1 is Arkansas. According to SP+, the Pigs have a 1.4 percent chance (roughly 70/1) to win the SEC in 2025, so there's a smidge of value there if you're feeling frisky. Sam Pittman has been in charge of this program for six years, and he's essentially traded good and bad seasons since taking over in Fayetteville. There's a chance this is one of the good varieties thanks to a new-look receiving corps for talented quarterback Taylen Green. The Hogs will play one of the toughest schedules in the country, but the ceiling with this team is high enough to have a small punt at 200/1. Best bets in the SEC Alabama to win the National Championship (10/1, bet365) South Carolina to win the SEC (35/1, FanDuel) Arkansas to win the SEC (200/1, FanDuel) Texas to miss the CFB Playoff (+235, FanDuel) Why Trust New York Post Betting Michael Leboff is a long-suffering Islanders fan, but a long-profiting sports bettor with 10 years of experience in the gambling industry. He loves using game theory to help punters win bracket pools, find long shots, and learn how to beat the market in mainstream and niche sports.


Chicago Tribune
2 minutes ago
- Chicago Tribune
Julian Sayin named Ohio State's starting quarterback for season opener against Texas
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Julian Sayin will be Ohio State's starting quarterback when the No. 3 Buckeyes open the season against top-ranked Texas on Aug. 30, coach Ryan Day announced Monday. Day, who is in his seventh year leading the Buckeyes, said Sayin was more consistent in the competition with Lincoln Kienholz but there was some separation over the past week. 'It was a close competition. I think both guys we all feel confident can win a game for us. I feel like our guys are confident with both quarterbacks, I feel like we are going to need both quarterbacks,' Day said. 'Lincoln did a lot of great things, but we're going to name Julian the starter, give him the majority of the reps with the ones and go prepare to beat Texas.' Sayin is listed as a sophomore but has four years of eligibility remaining. He originally committed to Alabama as the top-rated quarterback in the Class of 2024 and was taking classes when Nick Saban retired. Sayin then entered the transfer portal last spring and came to Ohio State. He played in four games last season, including the College Football Playoff first-round game against Tennessee, and he was 5 for 12 for 84 yards and one touchdown while taking 27 snaps. 'I think earning trust is just all about consistency, who are you day in and day out, and are you making the routine plays routinely. Are you someone who the offense can count on and who your teammates can count on consistently?' Sayin said on Aug. 5 about his approach. Offensive coordinator Brian Hartline also pointed out Sayin's consistency, along with limited turnovers and emergence as a leader, in his body of work. 'The command and earning the respect of your peers. Ultimately, the locker room always knows,' Hartline said. Texas coach Steve Sarkisian tried to recruit Sayin and said after Monday's announcement that he had a ton of respect for him. 'We recruited him hard here. He was a very gifted passer, really good player. Came to camp with us, I think, two years in a row. So we got a lot of familiarity with him,' Sarkisian said. 'Very good player, elite passer, very good arm talent, very quick release, really accurate guy. Obviously, he's got great weapons around him, so he's the type of guy that can utilize those weapons in a good system. So, it poses a heck of a challenge.' Sayin won't be the most-hyped quarterback in the opener. That goes to Texas' Arch Manning, who is considered an early Heisman Trophy contender.