With the Aggies season slipping away, a big win against an SEC rival or SEC blueblood school could go a long way towards bringing the temperature down. Here are the three biggest games left on A&M’s schedule which could either rise or cool the temperature for the seat held by the head man of Aggie Nation.

Texas

Since renewing the “Lone Star Showdown” in 2024, Texas has beaten A&M two times by dominating the second half in both games and holding the Aggies to 24 combined points in both games. A win for A&M over a Texas team in the middle of an equally disappointing season won’t salvage the season for the Aggies but would definitely boost morale in "Aggieland".

Despite currently sporting a solid 23-10 record at A&M, Elko desperately needs a big win over the Longhorns this year for many reasons. One is simply that, with another loss to Texas, Elko would become the first A&M head coach since Dennis Franchione (2003-2005) to lose to the Longhorns three years in a row.

More importantly, losing to Texas would slow down all the positive momentum the Aggies have on the recruiting trail while reopening the narrative that Elko can’t beat a Steve Sarkisian-coached team.

Alabama

With no signature win to speak of in 2026, Alabama represents A&M’s biggest remaining opportunity to get one this season as the Crimson Tide is the highest-ranked opponent remaining on their schedule.

Although they head into Saturday’s game having lost to Georgia and Tennessee on back-to-back Saturdays, Alabama is still a very talented and dangerous team that will be tough to beat in Tuscaloosa. An upset win by A&M would be big because it would be the first time the Aggies have won at Alabama since 2012, when Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Johnny Manziel led the No. 15 Aggies to the upset over the top-ranked Crimson Tide.

A big win over Alabama would also give A&M its first win on the road this season, while also serving as a big step forward towards salvaging one of the most disappointing seasons in recent Aggie football history.

Oklahoma

Despite their closeness in geographical location, many people sleep on the low-key rivalry between A&M and Oklahoma. Neither has the dislike for each other that they equally share for Texas, but it’s an intense atmosphere when the two hook up on the football field.

The two haven’t played since 2013 in the Cotton Bowl, as this year’s game marks their first matchup as SEC conference opponents.

This game is big because it’s a must-win for Elko, who needs a big road win over a ranked team or a big rivalry win since his resume at A&M is lacking both. Being able to beat Oklahoma and Texas in a six-day span would bring some much-wanted peace to a fan base that is getting mighty restless this season, while losses to both will lead to a very interesting offseason for the Aggies.