No. 5 Texas A&M's season isn't over by a long shot, as the Aggies have a chance at making the College Football Playoff with one game remaining. But who will they have to go through to be in this position next year? Let's take a look.
Opponents with game dates set
Kent State Flashes (MAC), Sept. 4
Current record: 5-4
Senior starters: 10
Current record: 3-1
Senior starters: 11 (6 offense, 5 defense)
Key stats: 2nd nationally in scoring offense (49.8 PPG); 116th in scoring defense (38 PPG)
1st nationally in total offense (606.5 YPG); 82nd in total defense (424 YPG)
If you want Ole Miss lite, here they are -- at least this year. A&M has to be an absolute nightmare start for them, because they will (likely) lose both starting guards, their center and QB Dustin Crum, who has completed 73% of his passes (83-113, 1,181 yards, 12 TD, 2 INT). Sophomore Collin Schlee (7-13, 113 yards, 2 TD) will likely be the new starter.
Big note for Kent: they're 124th nationally against the run. That should have Isaiah Spiller, Devon Achane and Ainias Smith already excited.
@ Colorado Buffaloes (PAC-12), Sept. 11
Current record: 4-0, ranked 21st
Senior starters: 9 (4 offense, 5 defense)
Key stats: 10th in rushing offense, 105th in passing offense
40th in scoring offense (31.8 PPG), 37th in scoring defense (24.2 PPG)
This could be one of the best early season games anywhere. It's strength against strength, with a run-heavy Colorado offense (sophomore Jarek Broussard has picked up 733 yards on 115 carries) against A&M's rush defense. On defense, the Buffs lose stud LB Nate Landman (54 tackles, 4 sacks) and DT Mustafa Johnson (16 tackles, 2 sacks) -- two of their three best sack producers.
This game is likely going to be played in Denver instead of Boulder. No matter where it's played, it won't be the pushover game many thought it would be before this season.
New Mexico Lobos (Mountain West), Sept. 18
Current record: 1-5
Senior starters: 11 (5 offense, 6 defense)
Key stats: 113th in scoring offense (19.7 PPG), 79th in scoring defense (31.5 PPG)
81st in total offense, 106th in total defense
The Lobos have been bad for the past couple of decades and things don't look like they're getting any better. They are likely losing three starters on the offensive line next season and they just don't do anything well. This one should be a get healthy game for A&M with the SEC schedule starting the following week.
Arkansas Razorbacks (at AT&T Stadium in Arlington), Sept. 25
Current record: 3-6
Senior starters: 6 (3 offense, 3 defense)
Key Stats: 51st in total offense (414.1 YPG), 103rd in total defense (452.7 YPG)
66th in scoring offense (28.2 PPG), 92 in scoring defense (33 PPG)
Even with a weak 3-6 (soon to be 3-7 record), Sam Pittman has done a superior job making his team competitive. The Aggies blasted Arkansas far worse than the final score indicated and will be a big favorite again next year. The Hogs lose their top players on both sides of the ball -- QB Felipe Franks and LB Grant Morgan -- as well as RB Rakeem Boyd and three starters on the offensive line, but freshman QB KJ Jefferson put up huge numbers against Missouri and safety Jalen Catalon is one of the conference's best.
Prairie View A&M (SWAC), Nov. 20
Prairie View has not played this year, so it's tough to say what they'll bring to the party. But they're on the schedule to be steamrolled in preparation for the season finale, which would likely be LSU.
Games yet to be scheduled
Auburn Tigers
Current record: 5-4
Senior starters: 4 (1 offense, 3 defense)
Key stats: 84th in scoring offense (25.9 PPG), 47th in scoring defense (25.2)
69th in total offense, 74th in total defense
We just got a look at Auburn last weekend and saw the good (Tank Bigbsy, the athleticism of Bo Nix) and the bad (undersized on defense and unable to stop the run). Auburn should take the A&M approach next year and use a veteran offensive line and a big back to control the clock, but that's anathema to Gus Malzahn and OC Chad Morris. The Tigers return much of their defense, but much of what little size they have up front will leave. In order to get where they want to go, A&M will have to do something they haven't yet -- beat Auburn at home.
@Missouri Tigers
Current record: 5-3, ranked 25th
Senior starters: 7 (3 offense, 4 defense)
Key stats: 72nd in scoring offense (27.6 PPG), 59th in scoring defense (27.9 PPG)
33rd in total offense, 48th in total defense
If Sam Pittman doesn't win coach of the year, Eli Drinkwitz probably should. He's done a very good job in his first year in Columbia. They return a lot, including freshman QB Connor Bazelak (179-258, 2,002 yards, 5 TD, 2 INT), but lose RB Larry Rountree (170 carries, 835 yards, 11 TD). On defense, they'll lose both starting tackles and both safeties. This is a young team and is on the rise, but A&M should still have more talent.
South Carolina Gamecocks
Current record: 2-8
Senior starters: 9 (5 offense, 4 defense); junior CBs Jaycee Horn and Israel Mukuamu have already declared for the NFL Draft.
Key stats: 93rd in scoring offense (23.5 PPG), 106th in scoring defense (36 PPG)
99th in total offense, 102nd in total defense
This wasn't looking like a good season for South Carolina, but the wheels came off the wagon after A&M destroyed them 48-3 at home. One game later, Will Muschamp was gone. Shane Beamer is the new head coach, but he will have his hands full: QB Collin Hill and WR Shi Smith will be gone; most of the starting front line will depart and they're dangerously undermanned in the secondary with Horn and Mukuamu leaving. The QB battle will be between Luke Doty, Ryan Hilinski and incoming freshman Colten Gaulthier and stud RB Kevin Harris will get some help from 5-star Marshawn Lloyd, who missed 2020 with a torn ACL. But besides Harris and Lloyd, there's not a lot to build around -- at least on paper.
@Ole Miss Rebels
Current record: 4-4
Senior starters: 10 (4 offense, 6 defense)
Key stats: 15th in scoring offense (39.8 PPG), 121st in scoring defense (38.8 PPG)
3rd in total offense, 127 in total defense
We know the book on Ole Miss now: great offense, historically bad defense. That may not change much next year, because QB Matt Corral (162-219, 2,359 yards, 22 TD, 9 INT) and RB Jarrion Ealy (117 carries, 608 yards, 8 TD) will return. But if junior Elijah Moore (74 catches, 1,054 yards, 8 TD) leaves, they'll have to replace all three starting wideouts and tight end Kenny Yeboah. That would strip them of virtually all their experience at the position. Losing six starters on defense might actually be a blessing, but it doesn't look like anyone's ready to replace them, either.
Mississippi State Bulldogs
Current record: 2-6
Senior starters: 8 (4 offense, 4 defense); junior RB Kylin Hill has declared for the NFL Draft; junior DB Marcus Murphy, sophomore DT Nathan Pickering and junior CB Tyler Williams all opted out and are note expected to return.
Key stats: 118th in scoring offense (18.2 PPG), 62nd in scoring defense (28.4 PPG)
101st in total offense (348.1 YPG), 54th in total defense (389.8 YPG)
The Mike Leach experiment has been an unmitigated disaster so far, with the team falling apart after a week 1 one over LSU. Leach has had 17 players transfer or opt out since he took over, a staggering number. Freshman QB Will Rogers will be the likely starter, but he'll have to work with a lot of new faces on offense and with a good portion of the defense gone. The Bulldogs may look more like Leach's vision in 2021, but they'll be very inexperienced.
Alabama Crimson Tide
Current record: 9-0, ranked first
Senior starters: 7 (6 offense, 1 defense)
Key stats: 3rd in scoring offense (49.2 PPG), 17th in scoring defense (18.3 PPG)
4th in total offense (548.3 YPG), 35th in total defense (357 YPG)
The Tide will almost certainly lose Mac Jones, along with seniors Najee Harris and Devonta Smith. And they'll almost certainly be outstanding again. The defense is largely young and extremely talented and the offensive replacements are all going to be very good, so A&M will have its hands full again when the Tide come to Kyle Field.
@LSU Tigers
Current record: 3-5
Senior starters: 8 (3 offense, 5 defense); junior WR Terrace Marshall has declared for the NFL Draft and freshman TE Arik Gilbert has opted out and is not expected to return.
Key stats: 60th in scoring offense (28.8 PPG), 95th in scoring defense (33.4 PPG)
49th in total offense, 115th in total defense
The Tigers could bounce back fast in 2021, if Myles Brennan is healthy. But they've got to fix their offensive line, break in a new group of receivers and, likely, a tight end. The defense, which has been atrocious, has to be repaired as well. They will definitely have talent, but they had talent this year and it wasn't enough. They've got to work on things from the ground up, or A&M will go to LSU as a favorite the Saturday after Thanksgiving.
