Texas A&M Has One Concern It Needs to Fix Before SEC Play Begins

Two weeks into the 2026 season, Texas A&M football is undefeated and headed into Southeastern Conference play. But like many of the unblemished teams around the country, a perfect record does not mean there has been a perfect path to getting there. After all, quarterback Marcel Reed struggled at times against both Missouri State and Arizona State.

Offseason rust takes some time to buffer out in the first few contests, but when playing in one of the premier football conferences in the country, the margin for error is a fleeting commodity. Therefore, if the Aggies have any aspirations to get to a lengthy postseason and the College Football Playoff, adjustments will need to be made quickly.

There are a handful of underlying issues, but above all else, the top concern for the Maroon and White is finding ways to get the ball in their playmakers' hands. It's easy to say on paper, but what exactly must happen to get the Aggies' top offense firing on all cylinders? Let's take a look below.

Feed the machine

It's no understatement to say that the Aggies have some of the most prolific pass-catchers in the SEC, ranging from utility man Terry Bussey to big-body target Isaiah Horton. However, the concern thus far through the season is not the amount of talent, but their chances to show it off.

Reed has averaged just under 200 yards passing per contest, and although the defense has been stout where it's needed to be, there will come a time when the offense needs to be the deciding factor in a loaded SEC. So, the Aggies' offensive coordinator Holmon Wiggins needs to find more ways to get the dynamic wide receivers involved for Reed to utilize.

Take Horton, for example, who has just seven catches this year, but three of which are touchdowns and the others have featured critical first-down catches and setting the offense up for scoring drives. Wide receiver Mario Craver is an all-conference selection with the tools to be one of the SEC's best, but has caught eight passes for 75 yards and two scores.

While an admirable effort thus far, two games into the season last year, Craver already had 236 yards and looked borderline unstoppable. So it's not hard to see that the ability is there, but Wiggins needs to make moves to get his best players the ball, especially when returning so much production from last year.

Breakout candidate Ashton Bethel-Roman was banged up in the Aggies' season opener and did not catch a pass against the Sun Devils, but when at full health, he will be a necessary cog in the Maroon and White war machine. In his stead, Bussey has stepped up since injuries have buried the Timpson native the first two years of his career.

Against Arizona State, he was Reed's go-to security blanket, snagging just four catches but leading all A&M receivers with 58 yards in crucial spots. The tight end position is something that must be utilized more, as just 26 yards and three catches is all they have to show for this season. Of course, the Aggies lost their top tight end target, Nate Boerkircher, in the second round of the last NFL Draft, but that just creates more opportunity for others.

All that said, SEC play requires the best A&M has to offer as it hunts for its first league crown, and only by tapping into its potential can it achieve its lofty goals. Time will tell if the Aggies are able to put their best foot forward in such a daunting gauntlet schedule, but if it's to happen, it's got to start at the offense and Wiggins' ability to make adjustments.

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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/tamu as Texas A&M Has One Concern It Needs to Fix Before SEC Play Begins.