Having a bye week comes at a much-needed time for the Texas A&M Aggies following a brutal beatdown of LSU last weekend in Baton Rouge, where Tiger Stadium was in disbelief and emptied quicker than anticipated. 

Texas A&M has four games remaining in the season after starting 8-0 for the first time in a long time. With two games left in the schedule against ranked opponents, the room for error is small after a collapse in November last season.

Taking on No. 19 Missouri and No. 20 Texas are must-wins to keep the chances alive at a ticket to the SEC Championship Game because of A&M controlling its own destiny as of now. 

Even though the Aggies have their minds set on finishing, it’s hard not to think about what else is playing out in the SEC because there are opportunities to gain ground on other programs. These matchups this weekend have relevance to the Aggies. 

Texas A&M Aggies quarterback Marcel Reed (10) scrambles with the ball during the first quarter against the Texas Longhorns.

Nov 30, 2024; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies quarterback Marcel Reed (10) scrambles with the ball during the first quarter against the Texas Longhorns at Kyle Field. / Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

At the end of November, Texas A&M travels to Austin in one of the most anticipated games of the college football season. The Aggies haven’t played in Austin for an extended period of time, and could be the game that punches a ticket for them to the SEC Championship Game. 

Quarterback Arch Manning is also still searching for his team’s identity, having had a rollercoaster season. As for quarterback Daniel Pavia, it is an opportunity to display why he should be in Heisman Trophy conversations with a chance to keep his team’s playoff aspirations alive. 

The winner of this game had the upper hand the rest of the season and stays in the hunt. Whichever program loses has a lot of questions to answer going into next season. For the Aggies, this is an opportunity to scout what the Longhorns offer on both sides of the ball and to get a preview of who they could meet in Atlanta, Georgia. 

South Carolina Gamecocks offensive lineman Jakai Moore (55) blocks Texas A&M Aggies defensive lineman Shemar Stewart (4).

Oct 28, 2023; College Station, Texas, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks offensive lineman Jakai Moore (55) blocks Texas A&M Aggies defensive lineman Shemar Stewart (4) during the second quarter at Kyle Field. / Dustin Safranek-USA TODAY Sports

For this game, there has been buzz surrounding coach Lane Kiffin’s name in conversations about potential interest in schools with head coaching vacancies. Could this be a distraction for a team that is very much in contention for a playoff berth? It might be. It could also be a preview of a team A&M might see down the stretch in the SEC Championship Game. 

The Rebels cannot afford to drop this game due to their light schedule for the rest of the season and their current standing compared to other teams in the conference. As for the Gamecocks, it will be all about closing the game out after losing a lead to Alabama. 

South Carolina is the next home opponent for A&M when it returns to Kyle Field, making their game more intriguing. At the beginning of the season, this matchup was circled on the calendar for many reasons, especially after upsetting A&M in last year’s contest. South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers was highly praised after defeating several high-quality teams last year and appearing to be an early-season contender for the Heisman Trophy. 

The Aggies will be keeping an eye on both, but they cannot look too far ahead, as Missouri is going to be a tough team and a hostile environment to play in.Â