- Head coach: Mike Elko (1st season)
- 2023 record: 7-6 (Lost Texas Bowl)
- PFF power ranking: 21st
- Chance to win SEC: 5%
- Strength of schedule: 20th
- Projected win total: 7.8
- FanDuel win total: 8.5
- 2024 recruiting rank (On3): No. 17 nationally, No. 9 in the SEC
Following a six-year tenure that included an 11-11 record over the past two seasons, Jimbo Fisher was relieved of his duties as Texas A&M’s head coach in November, netting him a record-shattering $77.5 million buyout.
The Aggies then hired Mike Elko, who was Texas A&M’s defensive coordinator for four seasons before a very successful two years as Duke’s head coach. The Blue Devils consistently punched above their weight class with Elko, finishing 16-9 under him after going 5-18 the two years prior.
Elko will have considerably more talent to work with in College Station, including a loaded defense and the top quarterback prospect in the 2025 NFL Draft in Conner Weigman, according to PFF lead draft analyst Trevor Sikkema.
Click here for more college football:
NCAA Power Rankings | NCAA Premium Stats | NCAA Betting Dashboards 2024 CFB Schedule | News and Analysis | The PFF College Football Show
Biggest Strength: A defense without holes
The transfer portal takes and also gives. Even after losing defensive tackle Walter Nolen, Texas A&M is set up very well defensively at all three levels. That’s thanks in large part to the addition of Purdue’s Nic Scourton, one of the best edge defenders in college football.
Biggest Weakness: Interior offensive line
While the Aggies are very strong at offensive tackle, the interior is more questionable. All three of Texas A&M’s projected starters on the interior offensive line earned sub-65.0 PFF grades in 2023. Chase Bisontis and Mark Nabou Jr., will be changing positions, and the third is a transfer (Kansas’ Ar’maj Reed-Adams).
2023 Team Overview
Offense |
||||
| EPA per play | Yards per play | Successful play rate | Explosive run play rate | Explosive pass play rate |
| 0.065 | 6.0 | 36.7% | 14.6% | 16.8% |
| 42nd | 50th | 46th | 83rd | 32nd |
Defense |
||||
| EPA allowed per play | Yards allowed per play | Successful play rate allowed | Explosive run rate allowed | Explosive pass rate allowed |
| -0.109 | 5.1 | 30.3% | 16.6% | 15.6% |
| 22nd | 28th | 17th | 91st | 104th |
Three Notable Transfer Portal Additions
- EDGE Nic Scourton (Purdue): 82.8 PFF Grade
- LB Solomon DeShields (Pittsburgh): 71.4 PFF Grade
- CB Will Lee III (Kansas State): 76.2 PFF Grade
Three Notable Transfer Portal Losses
- WR Evan Stewart (Oregon): 73.7 PFF Grade
- DI Walter Nolen (Ole Miss): 72.5 PFF Grade
- QB Max Johnson (North Carolina): 78.7 PFF Grade
Quarterback Spotlight: Conner Weigman
2023 Grade: 91.9
Key stat: 93.8 intermediate passing grade (second in FBS)
© 2024 PFF - all rights reserved.