Texas A&M football has moved into the top three of the AP Poll for the first time since the 1975 team achieved that mark in early November of that year. Even the 1994 team, where Texas A&M finished 10-0-1 under RC Slocum, was never this high in the AP rankings.
This is yet another proof of just how far this Texas A&M program has already come under head coach Mike Elko. You could tell the Aggies were ahead of schedule last year when they were on the verge of a trip to Atlanta in his first year, even though they fell just short.
Now, the Aggies have to be considered one of the favorites in the conference to end up playing for a championship in early December, right there along with the Alabama Crimson Tide. Though Texas A&M still has quite a bit more work to do in conference, and most of it on the road, this team is positioned really well right now for a huge finish this year.
Texas A&M puts country on notice as they rise into AP Poll top 3 for first time in 50 years
The undefeated Aggies are the only team without a blemish in the Southeastern Conference, not only having yet to lose an SEC game but also boasting a premier nonconference win over the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
That said, there's still quite a tough row to hoe ahead of these Aggies. They continue their road trip with a jaunt down to Baton Rouge this upcoming weekend, matching up against a team that is hanging on to their playoff hopes by a thread after losing to Vanderbilt last week.
Though there's a lot of apathy surrounding Brian Kelly's Tigers right now, the hatred for Texas A&M down in the Bayou could lead to the crowds really turning out for this game. Texas A&M has not won in Baton Rouge since 1994— coincidentally, the last time they were 7-0— so this will be another demon to exorcise.
If nothing else, this also shows that the Aggies are a force to be reckoned with nationally. They remain the highest-ranked SEC team, and just keep trending up. If they win this weekend, they could soon be receiving first-place votes.