Texas A&M's 2-0 start to the 2026 season includes blowout wins over Missouri State and Arizona State, while last Saturday's 48-20 win over the Sun Devils was built around the Aggies' late defensive effort, led by two pick-six touchdowns from Edge Marco Jones and cornerback Julio Humphrey, who spurred a 24-point fourth-quarter run that blew the game wide open.
Before taking on Kentucky to begin SEC play on Saturday afternoon, Texas A&M rose two spots to No. 8 in the US LBM Coaches Poll, and No. 9 in the AP Top 25, which wasn't surprising after Oregon's shocking loss to Oklahoma State and Oklahoma's surprising loss to Michigan in Ann Arbor.
The Aggies have plenty to work on, especially on offense, as the revamped offensive line has struggled to find
consistency, while starting quarterback Marcel Reed continues to improve as a passer but is a ways away from reaching his full potential under new OC Holmon Wiggins. Still, the offense and defense continue to make the necessary "winning plays" during the nine-game SEC schedule; anything is possible.
Looking back at the early parts of the offseason, Texas A&M and nearly every Power Four program with College Football Playoff hopes were forced to spend an average of $30 million or more to keep current star players on the roster, combined with adding new talent from the transfer portal.
According to the latest data from The Athletic, Texas A&M coach Mike Elko and Athletic Director Trev Alberts spent a reported $45-50 million, while the No. 1-ranked Texas Longhorns spent an estimated $45-55 million. Other programs spending at least $40 million include Tennessee, Notre Dame, Miami, LSU, Ohio State, and Oregon.
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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: The Athletic reveals Texas A&M's exorbitant 2026 roster spending
