Texas A&M football is ranked 9th in the latest AP top 25, marking the highest ranking the Aggies have achieved in the Mike Elko era in College Station thanks to the still-resounding effects of the Notre Dame win.
The previous high was last week's 10th overall rank, which matched last year's ranking for the Aggies once they had dispatched with LSU to take first place in the SEC. The 3-0 2025 Aggies obviously have achieved this feat much earlier in the season. This also puts them ahead of Texas, who fell to 10th as their shine continues to dim.
This shows just how ahead of schedule Elko and the Aggies are. For contrast, the aforementioned Texas Longhorns did not crack the top 10 at all with their current staff until week three of Sarkisian's third season. The exciting part for Aggie fans is that they're not done yet: this three-game homestand could lead to A&M reaching 6-0 while other teams ranked ahead of them take on more losses.
Texas A&M leapfrogs rival Longhorns to notch highest ranking of Mike Elko era thus far
There were several other notable moves in this week's AP Poll. LSU fell from third to fourth as Miami leapt into second place, but the Tigers are still the highest-rated SEC team, just ahead of Georgia— though that gap is beginning to close.
Oklahoma jumped to 7th with their win over a previously-ranked Auburn team, even though it was not a game that came without controversy. Then, the Aggies at ninth round out the top four SEC teams.
Texas Tech and Indiana both made huge jumps and are now in the top 12. Ole Miss remains static at thirteenth, and Tennessee is at fifteenth. Upcoming Aggie opponent Missouri is twentieth as they continue their climb.
Notre Dame remains in the rankings, which is a positive for the Aggies, moving from twenty-second to twenty-fourth. Illinois fell all the way from ninth to twenty-fourth (much like the Irish did last week).
Overall, there are ten SEC teams in the poll this week. Florida, South Carolina, Mississippi State, Arkansas, Auburn, and Kentucky are not ranked.