Texas A&M's 2026 season is off to a confusing, disappointing start after falling to an unranked Kentucky team 31-21 at home in Week 3, dropping to No. 23 in the AP Top 25, and now facing LSU in Baton Rouge for a prime-time showdown Saturday night.
In the Big Ten, the Oregon Ducks entered the year as one of several preseason favorites not just to make the College Football Playoff, but to win the whole thing. Similar to the Aggies and starting quarterback Marcel Reed, QB Dante Moore, who could have declared for the NFL Draft last year, opted to return for a final season, bringing plenty of experience and arm talent to an established roster.
After losing to Oklahoma State on the road in Week 2, which still stands as the biggest upset of the season
so far, outside of A&M's recent loss, which still serves as a gut punch for a team with high hopes of winning its first national championship.
During the 2026 NFL Draft, a record 10 Texas A&M players were selected, while seven Oregon players were drafted, which coach Mike Elko and coach Dan Lanning prepared for, adding double-digit players from the transfer portal, combined with a large portion of the 2025 roster returning.
On offense, Texas A&M's deep wide receiver room nearly matches Oregon's elite wideout rotation, while both offensive lines have been dealing with a talented, but new rotation that has caused some issues. Losing to teams with first-year coaches is a blow, but it also serves as an early-season teaching moment that should help Texas A&M and Oregon rebound and live up to their potential.
On Tuesday, The Solid Verbal College Football Show hosts stated why Texas A&M and Oregon are similar this season, which you can watch below. Texas A&M will face LSU in Baton Rouge on Saturday, September 29 at 6:30 p.m., and the game will air on ABC.
What makes Texas A&M and Oregon football similar? pic.twitter.com/XkdvWqD9Mu
— The Solid Verbal College Football Show (@SolidVerbal) September 22, 2026
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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Texas A&M compared to a Big Ten team after losing to Kentucky
