Aggies Break into CFB26 Top 25, Ready to Dominate When the Sticks Are in Play
In a stunning yet well-earned rise, the Texas A&M Aggies have muscled their way into the College Football 2026 (CFB26) Top 25 rankings, breaking in at No. 22 after a statement win over previously unbeaten Arizona State. Under the blistering lights of Kyle Field, the Aggies silenced critics and reintroduced themselves as a force to be reckoned with—especially when the sticks are in play.
The sticks, of course, are more than just the down markers on the sideline—they’re the symbol of trench warfare, of short-yardage brutality, and of who really controls the line of scrimmage. And the Aggies are controlling it like a bulldozer with turbochargers.
Redshirt sophomore quarterback K.J. Freeman has come into his own, orchestrating a brutal blend of RPO and up-tempo shotgun sets that keep defenses on roller skates. Against Arizona State, Freeman passed for 312 yards and ran for another 78, but it was what he did on third-and-short that made jaws drop. With the game tied at 17 in the third quarter, Freeman audibled into a QB power behind All-American guard Lincoln Davis—and surged 11 yards through a collapsing pile of bodies, moving the sticks and igniting the 12th Man.
But the Aggies’ dominance goes beyond Freeman. Running back Zeke “Train Track” Sanders has become the embodiment of grit. At 6’1”, 228 lbs, Sanders is built like a refrigerator and hits like one too. He’s averaging 4.7 yards after contact, leading the SEC in bruises delivered per carry. His signature play? The third-and-two inside zone out of the pistol, where he meets linebackers head-on and sends them backward.
Defensively, Texas A&M is just as terrifying. Junior linebacker Rashaad Wylie, nicknamed “The Hammer of Huntsville,” has become the soul of defensive coordinator Marcus Yates’ ultra-aggressive front seven. Wylie has racked up 48 tackles, 6.5 TFLs, and 3 forced fumbles in five games. Most come when the opponent dares to test the short yardage game. “They try to run on third-and-short?” Wylie said postgame, smirking. “That’s when we eat.”
The Aggies’ rise has not been overnight. After a middling 7-6 campaign last year, whispers of “same old A&M” floated through the fan base. But a new strength and conditioning program, led by Navy SEAL-turned-coach Trent Halloway, has transformed the Aggies into fourth-quarter warriors. They don’t just survive when the sticks are in play—they thrive.
With upcoming matchups against Ole Miss and Georgia, the path ahead is brutal. But inside the Aggie locker room, there’s no fear. There’s only grit, sweat, and a growing belief that when it’s third-and-one, no one in the nation does it better.
The Aggies are back in the Top 25, but if their short-yardage dominance continues, they won’t be there for long—they’ll be climbing higher. When the sticks are in play, the Aggies don’t just move the chains.
They break them.
