Texas A&M has officially revealed the date for their annual "Operation Blackout" game, where the Aggies wear their uber-popular all-black uniforms and the fans follow suit with their clothing choices. The Aggies have penciled in the November 14 showdown with the Tennessee Volunteers as the game where this will be taking place, just like I predicted in a column late last week.
The mission is set.
— Texas A&M Football (@AggieFootball) July 30, 2026
Operation Blackout Nov. 14 vs. Tennessee pic.twitter.com/uMfFC1nLpx
This will be the third blackout game under Mike Elko, one perseason since he's been the head coach. Texas A&M has worn blackout uniforms in the past, but these are by far the most popular among fans (with the possible exception of the combo worn at Mississippi State in 2012), hence why they keep coming back.
The other reason they keep coming back is that the Aggies are undefeated in this combination at home, and it has led to some of the most exciting Kyle Field environments in recent memory. That 2024 LSU game in particular was the stuff of legend, with the second-half avalanche in front of a sold-out crowd on primetime television.
However, their election for the Tennessee game this year comes with something of a risk on that front— actually, on two fronts. Not only will the Aggies be putting their unblemished record right into jeopardy, but it is conceivable that this may not even end up being a night game.
Texas A&M makes logical but risky choice for 2026 operation blackout game
I gave my reasoning before for why it makes sense to select the Tennessee game as the blackout game, but there are also a few cautions that need to come along with that. The showdown with the Volunteers right now is scheduled as a "flex" window rather than a surefire night game, meaning that it's possible that this is an afternoon kickoff rather than a night game.
If both the Aggies and the Volunteers are rolling at that point in the season, of course, then this will almost certainly be the big night game. However, you have a couple of other potentially massive games that day, including Texas visiting LSU (who almost always gets night games for big contests in Death Valley).
It's possible both of those games are late kicks, of course— one on ESPN and one on ABC— but it's definitely a risk. Even if the game is not a late kickoff, however, this is still a bit of a savvy move from A&M.
Given how late in the season this game is coming, after the clocks shift back, an afternoon kick would start in the daylight but go into the evening. While it's not the same as a night kickoff, it is better than what we saw back in 2015, when the Aggies wore their "Aggie Nights" uniforms for an October 11 AM kick.
The other risk here is a simple one: the Aggies' undefeated record in the blackout uniforms. Texas A&M trounced LSU 38-23 in 2024, and beat up on Mississippi State 31-9 last year. Tennessee could be a much tougher opponent than either of these two— but perhaps the logic is that this may bolster the Aggies in what could be a tough game.
All of that said, one thing is for sure: this is a date that is immediately going in the calendars of every Aggie fan. This has become one of the things that the A&M faithful look forward to every single year, and it's set to be a party once again.
Add us as a preferred source on Google