CBS Sports reveals Texas A&M's 2026 'best- and worst-case scenarios'

Texas A&M's 2026 college football season is getting closer by the day, as the spring football season will end after Saturday's annual Maroon & White Spring Game, placing a bow on what has been a successful official start and end to the offseason. Yes, the offseason will continue into the fall camp, but this will be the last time players take the field until mid-August.

Entering his third season at the helm, coach Mike Elko added 17 players from the transfer portal and 26 signees from the 2026 recruiting class, paired with a returning roster led by starting quarterback Marcel Reed, who will return for his third season and second full starting season under center.

However, losing 20-plus players to the transfer portal and the 2026 NFL Draft will likely result in some early growing pains, but in today's chaotic environment, nearly every Power 4 program will introduce a relatively new roster.

While national predictions regarding the Aggies' chances of making it back to the College Football Playoff are varied, Texas A&M's mix of veteran experience and blue-chip recruiting talent on both sides of the ball should result in another successful season with nine or more wins to contend for a playoff spot.

This week, CBS Sports' Brad Crawford released his "best- and worst-case scenarios" for every preseason top 25 team, including Texas A&M at No. 6. The best case? Marcel Reed will take the final step towards reaching his full potential in the pocket, while the newly formed roster will actually improve in several areas.

10-2, 7-2. Unlike last season's march to 11 straight wins prior to a loss at Texas, Mike Elko's team will not benefit from a soft slate in SEC play. There's LSU, Alabama and Oklahoma on the road and the Aggies haven't yet figured out the Longhorns under the current regime. Marcel Reed needs to take a step forward in his development at quarterback for Texas A&M to get the finish it wants this fall.

The worst-case scenario? A complete collapse. This roster is fully capable of double-digit wins, but if the four new starting offensive lineman don't gel, and the run defense continues to struggle, coupled with a lack of consistent pass rush success, and a spotty secondary could result in an 8-4, or, at worst, a 7-5 finish which would result in a long offseason filled with more questions than answers.

7-5, 4-5. The Aggies would not be able to keep boosters quiet if a team with this much talent loses five games this season, but there are potentially seven matchups against ranked competition if Arizona State, Missouri and Tennessee are all credible at the time of kickoff.

While both scenarios are plausible, Mike Elko has earned the benefit of the doubt from the fan base and media after last season's success, but facing one of the toughest schedules in SEC play will tell the story just months after Elko signed his six-year, $69 million contract extension.

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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: CBS Sports reveals Texas A&M's 2026 'best- and worst-case scenarios'