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USA Today
4 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Against all odds: What are Texas A&M's chances to reach the 2025 SEC Championship?
Against all odds: What are Texas A&M's chances to reach the 2025 SEC Championship? After finishing last year's campaign 8-5 (5-3 SEC), the Texas A&M football program is eyeing another opportunity to reach the Southeastern Conference Championship in 2025. It will be easier said than done, however. The conference is in no short supply of depth and talent, as 12 teams have odds of 5000 or better to make an appearance in the championship game this season. The question is, what are the odds the Aggies reach the SEC Championship for the first time in program history? According to BetMGM, here are the current odds for each SEC program to participate in this year's conference championship. Texas A&M was within striking distance of reaching the championship game last season, before the Aggies dropped three of four contests to close out the regular season. Heading into the second year under head coach Mike Elko, the Aggies fanbase is clamoring for more. With the talent on this year's squad, reaching the big game is a realistic goal for the Aggies. Sophomore dual-threat quarterback Marcel Reed returns after finishing last season by throwing for 1,864 yards and 15 touchdowns. The Aggies also brought in multiple outstanding transfers during the offseason, including former NC State standout wide receiver KC Concepcion and Mississippi State's Mario Craver. Not to mention, running back Le'Veon Moss returns after showcasing his ability to lead the Aggies on the ground last season. This year's schedule is daunting, however. Texas A&M has to go on the road at Notre Dame, LSU, and Texas this season. According to On3 Sports, the Aggies' schedule is the ninth-toughest in the country in 2025. The program's strength of schedule is 0.807, and its projected win total currently stands at 8.1. Out of On3's top 10 most difficult schedules this season, nine programs are from the SEC. With everyone facing a new challenge on the road to reaching the apex of the conference, it will be intriguing to see how the Texas A&M Aggies handle the adversity that will eventually arise throughout this year's campaign. 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.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
What 'elite' quality is Texas A&M lacking to contend for an SEC Title?
Texas A&M's 2025 football team will need to answer several burning questions before the season begins, but if we're being honest, nothing matches the need for redshirt sophomore starting quarterback Marcel Reed's need to improve as a pocket passer to pair with his already elite skill set as a runner. This is both an internal and national perspective, as nearly every one of us who covers the Aggies knows that outside Reed's development in the passing game, Texas A&M's roster is talented and deep enough at nearly every position to contend in the SEC in 2025, but as we all know, quarterback play usually determines every team's success, and entering his second year at the helm, head coach Mike Elko OC Collin Klein are under pressure to get him up to snuff. Advertisement In a recent article by Bama Hammer, author John Mitchell listed Texas A&M as one of four SEC teams that are considered contenders, but lack one elite quality, including LSU's offensive line, South Carolina's running game, and Ole Miss's new quarterback, Austin Simmons. For the Aggies, it's no surprise that Mitchell mentioned Marcel Reed's pocket passing as the weakness that could result in Texas A&M finishing 8-4, or worse next season. "Texas A&M ran out of gas down the stretch last season, but Mike Elko seems to have the ball rolling in the right direction in College Station. Like Ole Miss, 2025 will depend a lot on what they get out of the QB position. Marcel Reed is one of the most dynamic running QBs in the country, but has he grown enough as a passer to maintain offensive balance? He should have plenty of help at WR as the Aggies added NC State's KC Concepcion and Mississippi State's Mario Craver in the Transfer Portal. We know Elko will field an aggressive defense, but if the Aggies want to be a legitimate threat in the SEC, Reed will have to make that leap." Leaping a passer is never guaranteed for some dual-threat quarterbacks, but Collin Klein's system, built around the run game, play action, and the intermediate passing game provides Reed an easier pathway to gaining a rhythm in the pocket during the first two games of the season before taking on Notre Dame on the road in Week 3. Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Cameron on X: @CameronOhnysty. This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Will QB Marcel Reed's passing prevent Texas A&M from success in 2025?
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Texas A&M HC Mike Elko is 'excited' about his starting QB's development this offseason
The 2025 college football offseason has entered it's "talk'n" phase when every Power 5 head coach begins to preview their rosters, including Texas A&M coach Mike Elko, who spoke to during Wednesday's Brazos Country Coach's Night. Ranging from senior running back Le'Veon Moss's health, improvement on defense, and starting quarterback Marcel Reed's progress this spring. While Elko's confirmation that Moss is set to be 100% healthy during fall camp after fully recovering from his season-ending knee injury was the breaking news on the night, the second-year head coach was more than positve while discussing Marcel Reed's progression as a pocket passer, fully expecting the redshirt sophomore to take the next step in his development during his first full season as the starting signal caller. "Marcel Reed's development is what I'm most excited about. His development as a leader and in the passing game is important. He was a great player last year, but you'll see a significantly better version of him this fall." Advertisement A "better version" of Marcel Reed is a complete quarterback who can make the tough passes when needed, especially if the run game isn't working. Last season, after Le'Veon Moss went down, the offense relied on Reed's arm, and while he showed flashes in the 4 OT loss to Auburn, throwing for three touchdowns and nearly 300 yards, his poor performance against the Texas Longhorns resulted in lost confidence among the national media, and some of the Aggie fanbase. Still, while Reed's elite running skills will continue to be utilized in OC Collin Klein's scheme, the first two games of the season against UTSA and Utah State need to pose as tune-up games for Reed to gain comfortability in the pocket before the Aggies hit the road to face Notre Dame in Week 3. 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 Cameron on X: @CameronOhnysty. This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Texas A&M HC Mike Elko discusses QB Marcel Reed's development
USA Today
22-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Everything Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko had to say at Coaches' Night on Wednesday night
Everything Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko had to say at Coaches' Night on Wednesday night During this part of the football calendar, there's not much happening beyond recruiting updates. However, coaching events offer valuable insights into the team's progress following spring training. For Texas A&M, lingering questions remain after last season's conclusion and a vanilla Spring Game. While the team is still searching for breakout stars, the Aggies boast plenty of experience on both sides of the ball. The offensive line is set to return all five starters, providing a strong foundation for the unit. With a deep running back room and a playbook tailored to quarterback Marcel Reed's skill set, the offense looks promising. While wide receiver and tight end positions are still being finalized, the talent pool remains deep. Defensively, the secondary brings valuable experience, bolstered by the addition of cornerback Julian Humphrey. However, the defensive line faces its biggest challenge after losing three key players, Shemar Turner, Shemar Stewart, and Nic Scourton, to the NFL. Seniors Cashius Howell and Albert Regis will lead the charge, with hopes that emerging talent will step up. On Wednesday, Coach Mike Elko addressed the Brazos County A&M Club at Coaches' Night, highlighting the program's transformation: Coach Elko comments on the journey to this point "It's been a long journey to get here to Texas A&M. A year ago I stood on this podium for my first Coach's Night at Texas A&M. One year later, we've had tremendous progress into building the program you want to see." The Texas A&M football program is taking the next step forward "We are building the foundation of a championship level program. One of the biggest things we had to do was change the culture of what Texas A&M football is all about." Coach Elko comments about the talent on the roster "When you look at the current roster, we project to have more NFL Draft picks on this 2025 roster than we've had in a long time. We project anywhere from 10 to 12 players to hear their name called in the 2026 draft." Coach Elko believes his defense will be better that last season "We bring back eight starters on defense. It was well documented that we need to finish seasons better. That group is really hungry to go out and play the level of defense Texas A&M fans deserve." Coach Elko comments on Marcel Reed's development "Marcel Reed's development is what I'm most excited about. His development as a leader and in the passing game is important. He was a great player last year, but you'll see a significantly better version of him this fall." Coach Elko is ready to get his team back on the field and play at a high level for the whole season "We're excited to go out there and finish... We didn't finish the way we wanted to in November. That has been our mantra this offseason." Coach Elko sees something special happening in Aggieland and everyone wants to be part of it "Success is never linear. We are on course for where we want to be. I'm proud of our retention. We didn't lose starters in the portal. We're not losing coaches. There are signs that something really special is about to happen here" Coach Elko speaks on the resilience of his roster "The core of our roster has battled through a lot of adversity here. They're here because they believe in Texas A&M. They believe in what we're building here. I believe we have kids who are truly committed to Texas A&M and what it stands for." Coach Elko highlights the continuity of his roster "When you bring back 16 starters, our conversations start at a much higher level in Spring camp. We can hit the ground running at a much higher pace in year two." Coach Elko knows how last season ended and is committed no to repeat that "We all understand how we finished the year. We played three bad games of defense to finish the year. We're all aware of that. That's not how we play defense at Texas A&M. We have to have a better commitment for getting the job done at a higher level." Coach Elko comments on the team's schedule "We all understand how we finished the year. We played three bad games of defense to finish the year. We're all aware of that. That's not how we play defense at Texas A&M. We have to have a better commitment for getting the job done at a higher level." 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 Jarrett Johnson on X: @whosnextsports1.
USA Today
22-05-2025
- Business
- USA Today
Texas A&M QB signs intriguing NIL deal with private jet company, ENG Aviation Group
Texas A&M QB signs intriguing NIL deal with private jet company, ENG Aviation Group College Football and NIL now go hand in hand from here on out, and until further notice, it's fair to expect highly random yet interesting deals to be made with some of the more high profile players within the Power 5 conferences, especially the SEC. While Texas QB Arch Manning's lucrative deals with with Panini America, EA Sports, Red Bull, Uber, and Vuori are unsurprsing given his skillset and namesake, Texas A&M's starting QB has just signed on the the more intriguing deals of the summer. Earlier this week, there were rumblings regarding Marcel Reed signing an NIL deal with private jet company, which were confirmed on Thursday, as the Tennessee native is now a partner with ENG Aviation Group, joining Miami quarterback Carson Beck as the other active college signal caller to sign a private jet deal. For those who are unaware of how private jet services are utilized outside luxury travel for high net worth individuals, ENG Aviation Group has a different and honorable mission, which Boardroom described in detail to provide an in-depth look of Reed's NIL deal. Texas A&M QB and rising star, Marcel Reed, just became the fourth college athlete to land a private jet NIL deal—but this one's different. In a first for both sides, Reed has partnered with ENG Aviation Group not just for flights, but for a mission with real impact: raising awareness for organ donation. ENG runs a premium charter jet service, but when those jets aren't in the air with private clients, they're flying something far more important: life-saving organ transplants. Every empty seat, every available flight path is a chance to deliver hope to someone in need. Now, Reed is helping spotlight that work on a national stage. As part of the deal, Reed will use his platform to share stories, stats, and ways fans can register to become organ donors. This summer, he'll also visit a Houston hospital to meet with organ donors, recipients, and medical teams—turning a high-flying NIL deal into something grounded in purpose. ENG offers a potential life-saving service, and Marcel Reed, who has been consistently praised as a locker room leader, is showing said leadership off the field and bringing an important issue to the forefront. If this is the future of NIL, I can safely say that everyone will be on board. 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 Cameron on X: @CameronOhnysty.
