3 reasons Texas A&M football will exceed their preseason win total projection

Texas A&M football finally has a schedule that sets up favorably

Look, life is never easy in the SEC. Week in and week out, you're facing highly talented teams—even if they're the "lesser" teams in the conference, with the exception of the Vanderbilt Commodores. Though Vandy isn't on the Aggies' schedule this year, things have still stacked up in favor of the Maroon and White; maybe the first time we can say that since joining the SEC.

For one thing, the Aggies don't face either Alabama or Georgia. The former may be a game that has lost its luster now that Saban has departed anyway, but DeBoer will still have the Tide posing a formidable challenge to all comers.

The other factor to consider here is that, by all metrics, each of the Aggies' four toughest opponents have to visit College Station. Notre Dame, Texas, LSU, and Missouri are all home games for the Aggies this year. Each of these teams ranks in the top 15 of the early SP+ projections, so it's obvious they won't be pushovers.

But if Jimbo Fisher did anything in his time with the Aggies, it was returning Kyle Field to an intimidating venue where it is extremely hard for opponents to win. Against top-15 opponents at home in the past four years, the Aggies are 5-2; against top-6 opponents, they are a shocking 3-0.

It won't be easy for the Tigers (Missouri or LSU!), Irish, or Longhorns to roll into Kyle and walk out with a win. Taking a look at the schedule in other spots, the Aggies' toughest road game will be against Auburn in the penultimate game of the season. If Texas A&M football can go 2-2 in those four big home games, they can afford to lose one of the easier road contests and still finish at the 9-win mark.

Maybe I'm too much of an optimist at this point in the preseason, but I don't find it out of the question at all that the Aggies would go 3-1 (or, dare I say, 4-0?) in those games if a few breaks go right. They are certainly talented enough. Under the tutelage of Elko, Klein, and the rest of this coaching staff, I think they can jump up and surprise people this year.