Before the 2023 college football season kicks off in close to a month, the preseason rankings will be unveiled so as to gauge the level of confidence in your program.
247Sports projected how the preseason AP Top 25 rankings would play out once they are unveiled in two weeks. Keep in mind, this is not the preseason top 25, only a projection of the Aug. 14 reveal based on voting predictions.
Of course, consensus title contenders like Georgia, Michigan, Ohio State, and Alabama clocked in high on the list. But what about Texas A&M, which has been notably tough to place in the preseason rankings throughout the offseason? After all, the Aggies have no shortage of critics that question the trajectory of this team following their 5-7 campaign in 2022. And yet, one cannot ignore a talent-laden roster that is filled with four and five-star recruits.
With those two ideals going head-to-head, 247Sports’ Brad Crawford projected Texas A&M at No. 16 overall in the AP Top 25 preseason poll:
Perhaps the toughest team to project in this AP lookahead, Texas A&M has a top-10 roster in college football, but that didn’t show up in 2022 on the field. The Aggies went 5-7. Conner Weigman now studies under new offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino, who could take the SEC by storm if he’s given actual reign over this unit free from Jimbo Fisher’s fingers. The Aggies should be strong up front and if they can start the season on a positive note, perhaps they challenge for a crown in the final year of the SEC West.
The Aggies’ 16th-placed ranking indicates that while the talent on the roster speaks for itself, it’s up to this team to stake their claim in the SEC and illustrate why they should be considered a force to be reckoned with this season. Thankfully, the pieces are there to execute on that goal.
Bobby Petrino, whose offenses have averaged at least 400 yards in 16-of-20 seasons and 30 points per game in 15 seasons, should help challenge sophomore quarterback Conner Weigman and help him reach his full potential in year two. While the offense hindered this team a year ago, a leap from Weigman and his surrounding weapons should unlock one of the country’s best offensive units this season.
The Aggies have no shortage of talent in the trenches and on the defensive line, with the latter boasting an ideal mix of veterans and rising stars. So long as they become more coherent in defending the run while being more efficient in pressuring the quarterback, the tools are there for this defense to be among the most feared in the conference.
Texas A&M can’t deny that the critics are warranted in their hesitations, but as long as they execute on the field, it will only be a matter of time before they win back the confidence of those doubting them.
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