Texas A&M Football Playoff Hopes: Strength of Schedule and Record
The Texas A&M Aggies just wrapped up a season that, honestly, few saw coming. They finished at 11-1 overall with a 7-1 record in the SEC.
Even after a recent loss to their big rival, Texas, the Aggies are almost certainly headed for a spot in the College Football Playoff (CFP). Let’s dig into what made this season so wild, the numbers that back up their playoff case, and a few scenarios that could shake up their final ranking.
If you’re into metrics like strength of schedule (SOS) and strength of record (SOR), you’ll find Texas A&M’s journey to the CFP pretty compelling. Their run really does say something about how tough they’ve been against some brutal opponents.
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Texas A&M’s Impressive Season
Heading into the year, nobody was exactly betting the farm on the Aggies. Most predictions had them finishing somewhere between 7-5 and 9-3.
But they blew right past those expectations and ended up at 11-1. Some of their biggest moments came on the road, especially wins over Notre Dame, LSU, and Missouri.
Those victories weren’t just for show—they did a lot to boost their SOS and SOR numbers too. It’s hard to overstate how important those road wins were for their playoff hopes.
Key Victories
That win at Notre Dame? Huge. It’s a tough place to play, and pulling out a W there is no small feat.
LSU and Missouri are both tough SEC teams, and beating them on their own turf only added to A&M’s resume.
- Notre Dame: Early-season road win
- LSU: Crucial SEC victory
- Missouri: Another tough SEC road win
Strength of Schedule and Strength of Record
The CFP Selection Committee leans heavily on a couple of metrics: strength of schedule (SOS) and strength of record (SOR). Right now, Texas A&M sits at No. 15 in SOS and No. 3 in SOR.
That says a lot about both the difficulty of the teams they’ve faced and the quality of their wins.
Understanding SOS and SOR
SOS is pretty straightforward—it measures how tough your opponents are. SOR, on the other hand, looks at how you actually performed against that lineup.
With a high SOR ranking, it’s clear the Aggies didn’t just play tough teams—they beat them. That’s a big reason they’re still in the playoff conversation.
- SOS: No. 15
- SOR: No. 3
Impact of the Loss to Texas
That loss to Texas stings, sure, but it’s not a dealbreaker for the Aggies’ CFP chances. Texas is 9-3—no pushover—and dropping a close one on the road isn’t the end of the world.
The Aggies were No. 3 before the loss, and maybe they’ll slide a little, but their full body of work should keep them right in the thick of things for a top-4 spot.
Potential CFP Scenarios
To lock in a quarterfinal bye, Texas A&M needs a couple things to fall their way. Most importantly, they want Ohio State and Georgia to win their games this weekend.
There are other moving parts, of course—this is college football, after all—but the Aggies are in a pretty solid spot no matter what.
- Ohio State and Georgia wins
- Other favorable outcomes
Texas A&M is heading into the College Football Playoff rankings with a pretty solid shot, even after that rough loss to Texas.
They’ve got an 11-1 record, which isn’t easy to ignore. Wins over tough opponents and strong SOS and SOR numbers definitely help their case.
Sure, maybe they’ll slip a spot or two in the rankings, but it’s hard to see them missing the CFP at this point.
If you want updates or just can’t get enough Aggies news, check out the latest on Texas A&M football.
