Texas A&M Faces Road Test at LSU After Kentucky Loss Shakes Up Schedule Outlook

A Week 3 defeat and mixed results around the SEC have reshaped the difficulty picture for the Aggies' nine remaining games, with Texas looming as the toughest test.

Texas A&M dropped a 31-21 decision to Kentucky at Kyle Field in Week 3, a result that included three Aggie turnovers and a third quarter in which the Wildcats scored 21 straight points. The loss came amid a chaotic weekend in college football that saw several ranked teams beaten for the first time. Mike Elko's squad now heads out for its first true road contest, a Saturday night date with LSU in Baton Rouge.

The weekend also produced results that shifted perceptions of the Aggies' upcoming slate. Alabama erased a 15-point hole to beat Florida State, while LSU fell at Ole Miss, prompting Alabama to move above the Tigers in assessments of Texas A&M's remaining schedule. Oklahoma kept winning but managed just 14 points against New Mexico, and South Carolina squandered a 16-point advantage in a home defeat to Mississippi State.

Ranked from least to most difficult, the bottom of the list features a Week 7 home date with The Citadel (1-2), which beat Charlotte but lost in double overtime to Charleston Southern, followed by Arkansas (1-2) in Week 5. The Razorbacks have lost 12 straight SEC games, including a 45-17 defeat at Georgia. Trips to South Carolina (2-1) in Week 10 and Oklahoma in Week 12 sit just above them, with an undefeated Missouri team (3-0) hosting the Aggies in Week 6.

Tennessee (3-0) checks in fourth after a 42-9 win over Kennesaw State in which freshman quarterback Faizon Brandon threw for 178 yards and a touchdown. LSU (2-1) is third; the Tigers rallied from a 24-7 halftime deficit to tie Ole Miss before losing 32-24. Alabama (3-0) ranks second after its 50-36 comeback win over Florida State, in which it outscored the Seminoles 44-15 after trailing 21-6 despite yielding 471 yards on defense.

Texas holds the top spot. The Longhorns (3-0) beat UTSA 30-6 behind a defense that kept the Roadrunners out of the end zone, and they remain the biggest obstacle on the Aggies' schedule even with the rivalry matchup set for Kyle Field in Week 13.