Texas A&M Aggies fans need to be rooting for shocking SEC teams to win on bye week to help lock in College Football Playoff spot
Texas A&M Aggies fans have an easy rooting guide to follow in SEC play this week
2025 college football is somehow already entering the final month of the regular season. The Texas A&M Aggies are still undefeated as they rest up and recover on their bye week, but there are still several games this weekend that could impact Mike Elko and his squad’s College Football Playoff chances.
Which teams should Texas A&M fans shockingly be rooting for this weekend, based on the Aggies’ schedule and what they need to happen to secure a trip to both the SEC Championship Game and perhaps a first-round bye in the College Football Playoff? Let’s dive in.
No. 20 Texas vs. No. 9 Vanderbilt
Wait, Aggies fans should root for Texas? Yes, at least this week. Why? Texas A&M doesn’t have a chance to play Vanderbilt this season, and the Commodores only have one SEC loss. If Vanderbilt does beat Texas and continues winning, it could be one team that has a shot at winning SEC tie-breakers with the Aggies at the end of the regular season. Especially the “record against common opponents” tie-breaker, given that Vanderbilt’s only loss is to Alabama, a team the Aggies don’t play.
The second reason Aggies should want Texas to beat Vanderbilt? If Texas keeps winning ahead of the rivalry game against the Aggies in the final week of the regular season, then that gives Texas A&M the opportunity to deliver the final knockout punch on the Longhorns.
Why let Vanderbilt hand Texas their third loss, knocking them out of the College Football Playoff, when Aggies fans could get that satisfaction at the end of November instead?
Florida vs. No. 5 Georgia
Expecting the Florida Gators, who just fired their football coach, to defeat Kirby Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs might be a tough ask, but it’s exactly what the Aggies need to all but lock in a trip to the SEC Championship Game.
Georgia, just like Vanderbilt, has only lost to Alabama, a team the Aggies don’t play this year. However, they have played Florida and won (34-17 in early October). If Georgia loses, then the Aggies almost certainly lock up the common opponents tie-breaker with the Bulldogs for SEC Championship Game qualifications.
If Georgia messes around and struggles early on with Florida, as they have with several teams this year, the Gators could pull off the wild upset. Florida still boasts a talented quarterback in DJ Lagway, exciting freshman receivers, and a run defense that ranks in the top 20 in yards per carry and rush success rate allowed.
South Carolina vs. No. 7 Ole Miss
Aggies fans don’t always have much of a reason to root for South Carolina, but they do this week as they face Lane Kiffin and the Rebels. The Ole Miss Rebels are a major threat this season. They’re 7-1 with their only loss coming to the Georgia Bulldogs, after the Rebels scored five straight touchdowns against them to open that game.
Every possible College Football Playoff team does not want to have to face off against Ole Miss’ offense at any point soon. However, its defense is beatable, and if the mobility of South Carolina QB LaNorris Sellers becomes a problem, then the Gamecocks could pull this off.
A second conference loss for Ole Miss would likely all but completely knock them out of the SEC Championship Game running and create some real strength-of-schedule/record questions for them in College Football Playoff discussions. Weakening another SEC team with a strong record that Texas A&M doesn’t play in the regular season is a big win.
We’ll be back with more Texas A&M Aggies coverage here at A to Z Sports soon! Follow me (@FF_TravisM) and A to Z Sports (@AtoZSportsNFL) on X for all the latest football news!
This article was originally published on A to Z Sports Texas A&M Aggies, as Texas A&M Aggies fans need to be rooting for shocking SEC teams to win on bye week to help lock in College Football Playoff spot.
