Here's a few more current photo. More pounds and more accelerated aging.

On 2/6/2026 at 9:32 AM, Js1 said:

I hate that reductive nickname for Sark

Bet the under. Seven-win Steve started his career at Texas by turning a MensaTom shit team into an even bigger pile of shit, including a 65-year high low of losing six games in a row.

The problem is, Six-L Steve sounds more like Elko's Tee-Muumuu Shirt size than a dig at Phteven.

23 minutes ago, Reese Bennett said:

Here's a few more current photo. More pounds and more accelerated aging.

Not that I would wish it on anyone, but he is about 16 ounces short of a coronary. He needs a personal assistant with him at all times, equipped with a defibrillator.

15 minutes ago, Tex Long said:

Bet the under. Seven-win Steve started his career at Texas by turning a MensaTom shit team into an even bigger pile of shit, including a 65-year high low of losing six games in a row.

The problem is, Six-L Steve sounds more like Elko's Tee-Muumuu Shirt size than a dig at Phteven.

Grow up

1 minute ago, Js1 said:

Grow up

So... Five-win Steve? Doesn't really roll off the tongue, does it?

1 hour ago, Reese Bennett said:

Here's a few more current photo. More pounds and more accelerated aging.

He's about one thin mint from blowing up like that Mr. Creosote, in that famous Monty Python movie skit in The Meaning of Life.

It made Quinton Tarantino sick when he saw that skit, even though he's made movies with lots of blood and gore.

Would post it, but don't want any queasy stomachs.

So how about this, what Elko does at Golden Corral.

Edited February 8Feb 8 by NBHorn7

On 2/6/2026 at 10:15 AM, Hookem2147 said:

I could see a wide range of outcomes from Tennessee, Missouri and South Carolina this year.

If all 3 end up being bad, which seems very possible, A&M's schedule basically comes down to going 2-2 or better against OU, Bama, LSU and Texas.

I think their 2026 schedule might be easier than 2025. Ducking Ole Miss and Georgia again should be mathematically impossible. And oh yeah, they don’t play Notre Dame.

If LSU isn’t good right away, I fully expect them to do the 11-0 bullshit again.

That said at Oklahoma 6 days before the Texas game is no picnic.

Edited February 8Feb 8 by billfromlaketravis

16 minutes ago, billfromlaketravis said:

I think their 2026 schedule might be easier than 2025. Ducking Ole Miss and Georgia again should be mathematically impossible. And oh yeah, they don’t play Notre Dame.

If LSU isn’t good right away, I fully expect them to do the 11-0 bullshit again.

That said at Oklahoma 6 days before the Texas game is no picnic.

I think some of you guys fall into this trap where you forget that the rosters change, too. ATM had an old team in 2025. That’s not the case in 2026. They’re not starting out 11-0.

Survey says....

8-5

Spoilered below are Tarp's "Quick Thoughts" on the hairy asshole that is ATM's TE room.

Notes:

-Boerkircher turned out to be a nice surprise for the aggies. No one here thought much of them landing him and the feeling was similar from their 247 mods. He turned out to be good on both the receiving and blocking end.

-They have no one in line to replace Boerkircher's production, particularly on the blocking side.

-Kiotti Armstrong is currently on Elko's dietary plan of adding 40 pounds between each season. He'll be at OT by the fall, I'm guessing.

-They're desperate for one of the G6 transfers to take a giant leap in capability.

-What was an asset in the run game last year in having 2 TEs who were effective to excellent runblockers is now a liability.

Quick thoughts on Texas A&M's tight end room as of February 2026

VIP

Back To Topics

•  TarpStaff

• Texas A&M's tight end room has changed up quite a bit as of February 2026 via the departure of Nate Boerkircher and Theo Melin-Ohrstrom. In particular, Boerkircher proved to be a significant (and unexpected) upgrade from a run blocking standpoint (highest graded run blocker in the Southeastern Conference per Pro Football Focus). This enabled the Aggies to make their 2025 running game go on the edge better than it did in 2024.

• The additions of Fresno State's Richie Anderson and UTSA's Houston Thomas from the NCAA Transfer Portal are interesting because both have tended to be better receivers than blockers during their time in college ball. Thomas was utilized in the slot more so than as an in line player. Neither was considered to be an upper echelon blocker relative to the other players at their positions on their former teams. Thomas is probably more of a downfield and after the catch threat than Anderson as well.

• Second year player Kiotti Armstrong is listed at 6-foot-5 and 275 pounds. He probably has the frame to play offensive tackle (former A&M starter Dametrious Crownover made that transition even though he also played at a small school). However (and despite his size), Armstrong played outside as well in high school. He is not only making an adjustment to a higher level of competition but also how he was being used…and it showed even when he was taking on smaller defenders in the run game, much less his ability to recognize coverages and run routes.

• Auburn transfer Micah Riley emerged as a blocker to complement Boerkircher or Ohrstrom when the Aggies went with 12 personnel. He wasn't particularly noticeable in the role and caught just one pass.

• You have got a couple of 2026 commits in Kaeden Johnson and Caleb Tafua but it will be a long time before they see the field (certainly not next season) given the upperclassmen in front of them.

• Overall, and as of right now, A&M probably needs someone to take a Boerkircher-type leap as a run blocker (and Ohrstrom wasn't bad at helping in pass protection either). Thomas is probably the best receiver but both he and Anderson should be able to take over any checkdown roles in the passing game at the very least. In addition, Anderson is probably going to be more likely to fill the role of a intermediate route runner unless Armstrong can become than a work in progress.

Here's Tarp attempting to apply lipstick to the pig that is the ATM offensive coaching staff headed into 2026. Something else people aren't discussing about ATM's 2026 season is the tremendous turnover each side of the ball has seen from the coaching staff. The Elk hasn't exactly covered himself in glory with these hires. Tarp does a poor job in the spoilered write-up of thoroughly covering the range of changes, so I've added supplemental notes of my own.

Notes:

-They've promoted from within in 3 places. They hired from the outside for the TE coach.

-At TE, the new coach has exactly two seasons as an on-field coach in the FBS, both as a TE coach. 2023 at Marshall, last year at UK. He's young and was otherwise an analyst or GA, or he was coaching at IMG or McNeese State.

-They promoted an analyst to QB coach. That guy was previously a failed OC at various places. His name is Joey Lynch and he's an older fella.

-They promoted the assistant WR coach to WR coach. His name is Matthew Andrew Markinson. He's bounced around the sport of football ranging from HC at Merrimack to TE coach at the Texans to many other stops along the way in football backwaters as anything from analyst to OC. Before all of that, he had achieved rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the US Marine Corps. Picture of Markinson below:

-Beyond that, you guys all know about the promotion of Wiggins to OC, having never called plays in his career.

-I know The Elk doesn't have a big rolodex as a coach and, he's apparently considered a real asshole in coaching circles, but none of these hires look good at all. Hiring from within is great if you have a confirmed process working like a well-oiled machine. The Texas ATM coaching org cannot be considered such a thing at this point in time. I think this stuff is going to blow up in the face of Tons of Fun this season.

Not so quick thoughts on Texas A&M's 2026 offensive coaching staff

•  TarpStaff

  -

• Texas A&M's hires on the offensive and defensive sides of the ball are for continuity in terms of two issues: personnel and style. However, there is an overriding concern on each side as well that I'll address today (offense) and tomorrow (defense).

  -

• Overall, it is pretty obvious that maintaining the system was important to Aggies' boss Mike Elko. Offensively, A&M has some key skill guys coming back in quarterback Marcel Reed, wideouts Mario Craver and Ashton Bethel-Roman, and running back Rueben Owens. If you want to keep those guys home, you've got to use more than NIL funding. The moves will enable them to keep operating a system that these guys were are familiar with. It's also important that they see some familiar faces to maintain that confidence that things won't change much.

• For example, 2025 receivers' coach Holman Wiggins is staying around (albeit in a different capacity), and he is being replaced by someone that worked extensively with the wideouts last year in John Perry. Analyst Joey Lynch recruited Reed when he was at Vanderbilt. He was known there for being able to get through to quarterbacks in terms of their decision making on progressions (with the departure of KC Concepcion, that is going to be more important than ever going forward).

• Keep in mind as well that the system that former offensive coordinator Collin Klein put in place was pretty successful in 2025. It was as diverse a system as you could have with just about every concept out there from both a running and pass game standpoint. The Aggies could attack a defense both vertically and horizontally. They changed things up from week to week as well depending on the opponent (which is extremely hard to do).

• If there is an overriding consideration to everything, it's the fact that A&M wants to generate big plays on offense. Klein made that a focal point in 2025 and so Wiggins will probably do the same thing in 2026 (after all, he was the receivers' coach).

• - The biggest concern on everyone's part is the fact that Wiggins has never called plays before, and I think that is overstated to an extent. There is no play caller (offensive or defensive) that doesn't get heavily criticized. It's nice to have someone with that experience in big moments and in big games. You also want to be able to be sequence things so that your counters off of what you are running get called at the proper points in time so that a defense stays on its heels.

• However, you want to be able to gameplan every week and then play to your strengths and the opponents' weaknesses on gameday so that your players have confidence in what they are doing. Most of the time, that's simpler than you think and that is the biggest part of the OC's job.

• If you are facing fourth and one and the opponent doesn't have a very good run defense, just run the ball. But if your offensive line can't make that happen, then either call something else or get your special teams on the field.

• For 2026, Wiggins is going to have a different set of strengths than what Klein had in 2025 while also facing some of the same challenges. He is going to have to cut down on turnovers at the quarterback spot and find ways to make the running game go when the chunk plays aren't there. His offensive line lost almost everyone and may start guys better in pass protection than run blocking. They may not be able to throw safe ten yard passes that get 25 or 50 yards.

• In addition, will they be able to run everything again or simplify things to the extent that game plans look more similar from week to week?

• Finally, Wiggin's influences may not just be what Klein did. He served under Steve Sarkisian, Bill O'Brien, and Tommie Rees at Alabama as well as Justin Fuente at Virginia Tech and Memphis. Those guys ran just about everything and so he may well utilize or discard items based on his experiences elsewhere, not just what A&M did in 2024 and 2025.

17 hours ago, closetojumping said:

I think some of you guys fall into this trap where you forget that the rosters change, too. ATM had an old team in 2025. That’s not the case in 2026. They’re not starting out 11-0.

The bed wetting about a program we have embarrassed back to back years, and haven’t lost to since 2010, is annoying

Edited February 9Feb 9 by Js1

A&M's lost every game following their late-season November cupcake for three years in a row now. Their W/L record after the 1st of November is a miserable 6-9 during this stretch:

• 2023: beat up on FCS Abilene Christian, then got carved apart by LSU's Jayden Daniels and Okie Lite's Ollie Gordon in back-to-back losses.

• 2024: beat up on NMSU, then got upset by a terrible Auburn team in quadruple-OT, lost to us, and fell apart late against USC.

• 2025: beat up on FCS Samford, then lost to us, then got shut down by Miami.

A&M hasn't won a meaningful trophy of any sort (bowl game or conference title) since the 2021 Orange Bowl that marked the zenith of Jimbo's tenure at A&M over five years ago. Pretty incredible.

I’m not worried about aggy. We’ll beat that ass again in November. But their schedule is easy yet again.

58 minutes ago, closetojumping said:

-They promoted the assistant WR coach to WR coach. His name is Matthew Andrew Markinson. He's bounced around the sport of football ranging from HC at Merrimack to TE coach at the Texans to many other stops along the way in football backwaters as anything from analyst to OC. Before all of that, he had achieved rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the US Marine Corps. Picture of Markinson below:

This is incredible for several reasons. First, obviously he's tailor-made for redass TAMU. Second, how in the hell does one go from a full career in the USMC (presumably career capped at Lt. Col.) to a full career in coaching? Presumably he wasn't coaching while he was soldiering. Third, he looks like the Elk's evil medium-build twin.

Promoting new and old employees with no track record of success in order to head up significant company divisions for a major corporation would not fly in the business world. But damn if it isn't the way things are done in football at all levels.

11 minutes ago, nnm said:

This is incredible for several reasons. First, obviously he's tailor-made for redass TAMU. Second, how in the hell does one go from a full career in the USMC (presumably career capped at Lt. Col.) to a full career in coaching? Presumably he wasn't coaching while he was soldiering. Third, he looks like the Elk's evil medium-build twin.

Oh, man.

25 minutes ago, nnm said:

This is incredible for several reasons. First, obviously he's tailor-made for redass TAMU. Second, how in the hell does one go from a full career in the USMC (presumably career capped at Lt. Col.) to a full career in coaching? Presumably he wasn't coaching while he was soldiering. Third, he looks like the Elk's evil medium-build twin.

Promoting new and old employees with no track record of success in order to head up significant company divisions for a major corporation would not fly in the business world. But damn if it isn't the way things are done in football at all levels.

He's the bastard child of Elko and Bedenbaugh, imo.

why do all of their coaches look like penises , they really should talk to someone about some of this

They hired JT Walsh from A Few Good Men? Doesn't seem like a guy that people would want to commit to.

27 minutes ago, JackBurton said:

He's the bastard child of Elko and Bedenbaugh, imo.

Bedenbaugh is just Elko in a wig.

1 hour ago, nnm said:

This is incredible for several reasons. First, obviously he's tailor-made for redass TAMU. Second, how in the hell does one go from a full career in the USMC (presumably career capped at Lt. Col.) to a full career in coaching? Presumably he wasn't coaching while he was soldiering. Third, he looks like the Elk's evil medium-build twin.

Promoting new and old employees with no track record of success in order to head up significant company divisions for a major corporation would not fly in the business world. But damn if it isn't the way things are done in football at all levels.

Has that aggy look.

49 minutes ago, Park Gothic said:

Bedenbaugh is just Elko in a wig.

It's all in the eyes with Bedenbaugh -- he's got a half-startled, half-psychotic thing going that I just don't think Elko can hold a candle to. Instead, Elko has more of an overweight elf quality, like if santa's workshop was a deli employing only raging alcoholics (so, a deli). They've got matching chins though, I'll give you that.

1 hour ago, nnm said:

Second, how in the hell does one go from a full career in the USMC (presumably career capped at Lt. Col.) to a full career in coaching? Presumably he wasn't coaching while he was soldiering.

I don't think you can handle the truth on this one.

Hey you snowflakes, this is a leader of men. He pushes everyone to be their best and you're just jealous you don't have a man with this kind of character in your program.

So what if he let's people think he was in the Marines? Stolen valor is an aggy tradition. So what if he is a Bill O'Brien acolyte? That's a great coaching tree The Elk is smart to tap into. Nothing but greatness ahead with The Elk and his band of brothers at the helm.

Stupid sips.

The hoodie made of t-shirt material looks like something for a giant nine year old getting dressed for a sleepover party or pajama day at school.

8 minutes ago, Reese Bennett said:

Hey you snowflakes, this is a leader of men. He pushes everyone to be their best and you're just jealous you don't have a man with this kind of character in your program.

So what if he let's people think he was in the Marines? Stolen valor is an aggy tradition. So what if he is a Bill O'Brien acolyte? That's a great coaching tree The Elk is smart to tap into. Nothing but greatness ahead with The Elk and his band of brothers at the helm.

Stupid sips.

I want you to know that I'm proud neither of what I have done or of what I am doing.

41 minutes ago, Ben Ficus said:

The hoodie made of t-shirt material looks like something for a giant nine year old getting dressed for a sleepover party or pajama day at school.

Custom made muu-muu is on backorder with 'atm' stenciled on it

closetojumping, what about ATM's defensive staff?!? The Elk is a wizard on that side of the ball!

Tarp has posted his "quick thoughts" on the new defensive coaching staff, spoilered below.

Thoughts:

-Elijah The Prophet Robinson is back in The Station and things are lit again. One of the better bagmen in recent memory, his ability to actually develop those DLs that he bagged remains suspect.

-Lyle Hemphill is the new DC. He's worked with Elko before and this will be his 5th year somewhere as a DC. He runs a defense oriented around the goal of causing turnovers, something ATM has sucked at since The Elk showed back up.

-Travis Williams is the freshly fired DC at Arkansas and he's coaching LBs.

-Bryant Gross-Armiento is the promoted CB coach (from Nickels coach) and he worked under Hemphill at Wake.

-New NB coach, Paul Williams, leaves the dumpster fire of Stanford to return to working under Hemphill as well. He was also at Wake.

-Tons of coaching experience overlap for the defensive side besides Travis Williams. Elko is keeping things as tight as his pants around his waistline.

Quick thoughts on Texas A&M's 2026 defensive coaching staff: Negative plays AND turnovers are the goal

VIP

Back To Topics

• - Texas A&M's hires on the offensive and defensive sides of the ball are for continuity in terms of two issues: personnel and style. However, there is an overriding concern on each side as well that I'll address today (defense) as I addressed the other side of the ball (offense) yesterday.

• - Oh, as an aside, A&M has brought on guys in analyst roles who were coordinators or position coaches in past stops that they could elevate onto the staff in those same roles when assistants left. Like it or not, A&M feels like it is ahead of the curve in doing this because those folks learn the system themselves for a time and then (in theory) are ready to assume bigger roles when spots open up.

• - The overriding concern on offense is A&M's ability to generate chunk plays. The overriding concern on defense is to generate negative plays on early downs to put opponents in third down holes they can't escape from. However, the Aggies' inability to turn opponents over (they ranked 15th in the SEC in turnovers forced) played a major role in losses to Texas and Miami (as well as a near loss to South Carolina). In order to do that, A&M would have to combine the aggressiveness part with more zone coverages on the back (where back seven defenders are facing the quarterback more often and find it easier to react to the ball).

• - New defensive coordinator Lyle Hemphill has overseen four years of units as a defensive player caller. His units finished second, eighth, first, and first in their conferences in turnovers forced. They were in the top three every one of those seasons in interceptions. Those teams played a significant amount of zone type coverages, including split zones, robber coverages, and simulated pressures that are so popular now.

• - New linebackers' coach Travis Williams and defensive line coach Elijah Robinson are considered to be good recruiters. However, when Williams was the defensive coordinator at UCF in 2021 and 2022, his unit was top four in the AAC in turnovers forced and tackles for loss.

• - Corners coach Bryant Gross-Armiento was a graduate assistant under Hemphill at Wake Forest in 2019 and has been at A&M in two stints under Elko. A&M's nickel play was pretty good with him in 2025, not so good without him in 2024.

• - New nickels coach Paul Williams was in a messy situation at Stanford for three seasons (multiple head coaches and leagues; the defense gave up less than 30 points per game in 2025 for the first time this decade). He was under Hemphill in 2020 and 2021 at Wake Forest when the Demon Deacons were turning people over a lot.

• The key to this staff for 2026 will be their ability to get the back seven to do what they couldn't do enough of in 2024 when they were really working at it…play more zone type coverages as opposed to manning up the outside guys and slots like they did in 2025 so that they can combine tackles for loss and turnovers.

3 hours ago, Reese Bennett said:

Hey you snowflakes, this is a leader of men. He pushes everyone to be their best and you're just jealous you don't have a man with this kind of character in your program.

So what if he let's people think he was in the Marines? Stolen valor is an aggy tradition. So what if he is a Bill O'Brien acolyte? That's a great coaching tree The Elk is smart to tap into. Nothing but greatness ahead with The Elk and his band of brothers at the helm.

Stupid sips.

Looks like Stork from Animal House made something of himself, after all.

3 hours ago, BigDSteve said:

Looks like Stork from Animal House made something of himself, after all.

"Without self-discipline, success is impossible. Period." — Lou Holtz

On 2/7/2026 at 2:48 PM, Dennis Taylor said:

This guy was a DB 150 pounds ago

He seems to be on the same diet as the 2000 AP Player of the year at QB:

Do these guys just chug an 8 oz glass of Ranch dressing at every meal?

4 minutes ago, Scholz said:

Do these guys just chug an 8 oz glass of Ranch dressing at every meal?

I don't understand fat football coaches. You'd think, outdoor summer practices mean you sweat a lot + games in September/October in the south, you're around S&C coaches you employ, nutritionists, etc.

Accountability culture would likely mean these coaches are working out with their players. Elko and Josh look like they shit in an AC box and watch practice while eating Ding Dongs.

20 minutes ago, Scholz said:

Do these guys just chug an 8 oz glass of Ranch dressing at every meal?

Wait, you dont?

43 minutes ago, Scholz said:

Do these guys just chug an 8 oz glass of Ranch dressing at every meal?

A steady and constant diet of pizza, burgers, tex-mex, washed down with soda during the day and bourbon at night.* In other words, pure refined carbs and sugar. If they don't have the diebeetus yet, they will.

*Official diet of Surly

Yeah, and I suspect a lack of sleep is seen as a sign of virtue in coaching circles. Need those carbs to keep you going through those film sessions and calls to recruits.

1 hour ago, Scholz said:

Do these guys just chug an 8 oz glass of Ranch dressing at every meal?

Actually, yes. Did you not see the Elk on SNL back in 2011. He had more hair then.

1 hour ago, Js1 said:

I don't understand fat football coaches. You'd think, outdoor summer practices mean you sweat a lot + games in September/October in the south, you're around S&C coaches you employ, nutritionists, etc.

Accountability culture would likely mean these coaches are working out with their players. Elko and Josh look like they shit in an AC box and watch practice while eating Ding Dongs.

High stress + lack of sleep are two very significant contributors to weight gain. More water retention, higher cortisol levels, etc.

Not to mention most coaches don't exactly have the time to eat healthily when they're on the road meeting recruits or up late at night studying film.

23 minutes ago, Reese Bennett said:

Yeah, and I suspect a lack of sleep is seen as a sign of virtue in coaching circles. Need those carbs to keep you going through those film sessions and calls to recruits.

Lane Kiffin, Lincoln Riley, Garrett Riley, Clark Lea, Mike Norvell, Marcus Freeman, Dan Lanning...........

On 2/8/2026 at 5:21 PM, billfromlaketravis said:

I think their 2026 schedule might be easier than 2025. Ducking Ole Miss and Georgia again should be mathematically impossible. And oh yeah, they don’t play Notre Dame.

If LSU isn’t good right away, I fully expect them to do the 11-0 bullshit again.

That said at Oklahoma 6 days before the Texas game is no picnic.

Isn’t this their 15th year and they have only played UGA once?

I would guess 9-3 this season, overachieve early and collapse late is a trend forming under the shaded girth of the Elk.

1 minute ago, Jimbob said:

Isn’t this their 15th year and they have only played UGA once?

I would guess 9-3 this season, overachieve early and collapse late is a trend forming under the shaded girth of the Elk.

It was some guy on Twitter they ranked the schedules, but I’m sure he used some easily identifiable metric like win-loss record last season.

Lane will seek out to embarrass aggy. As he should for regional and recruiting reasons. Perhaps, the coaster goes off the rails in September. But I can’t talk myself into the wishcasting bullshit like them losing to Kentucky or something similar.

1 hour ago, satyanash said:

High stress + lack of sleep are two very significant contributors to weight gain. More water retention, higher cortisol levels, etc.

Not to mention most coaches don't exactly have the time to eat healthily when they're on the road meeting recruits or up late at night studying film.

Exactly. Elko is actually doing a fine job managing his weight. Given the stress of the job, he ought to be 450 lbs by now, but he’s not. So there.

Will Rosenblatt: Ranking every SEC Football team's 2026 strength of schedule

1. Arkansas Razorbacks

Ryan Silverfield left Memphis to take over Arkansas and he won't be catching any breaks in year one. This schedule includes Texas, Texas A&M, LSU, and Georgia. Out of conference, Arkansas travels to Utah, a notoriously tough place to play. The middle of Arkansas's SEC schedule isn't much easier with the Razorbacks facing Tennessee on Oct. 10.

2. Ole Miss Rebels

Ole Miss made the playoff in 2025 and Pete Golding looks to keep it rolling in 2026 in his first full year as head coach. The schedule will make it hard to reach the heights of 2026, though. Ole Miss plays Texas, Georgia, and LSU while making a road trip to Florida. Ole Miss's nonconference contest vs. Louisville (at a neutral site) isn't a gimme either.

3. Oklahoma Sooners

The Sooners' schedule was tough in 2025 and the path is equally difficult in 2026. Texas, Texas A&M, and Georgia are on the SEC slate and the Sooners must travel to Michigan in the nonconference. Oklahoma plays Ole Miss, but at-least its at home. The Sooners travel to Florida, where the Gators will see an opportunity for an upset.

4. Texas Longhorns

Texas missed the CFP in 2025, but the Longhorns are a candidate to be ranked No. 1 in the preseason polls. A national title is the expectation, even with this schedule. Texas faces Ohio State in the nonconference slate while making road trips to Texas A&M, LSU, and Tennessee in SEC play. Meetings with Ole Miss and Oklahoma await, too.

5. Mississippi State Bulldogs

The top of this schedule is brutal. Mississippi State plays Alabama, LSU, Oklahoma, Texas, and Ole Miss. Head coach Jeff Lebby has made progress in Starkville, but it might not show up in the win total this year, given the slate of opponents. Mississippi State will need to handle business vs. Minnesota in the nonconference slate and take advantage of home games vs. Missouri and Vanderbilt within the SEC.

6. Florida Gators

Jon Sumrall doesn't have many gimmes on his first Florida schedule -- the Gators must play Texas, Georgia, Oklahoma, and Ole Miss. The rest of UF's schedule isn't brutal, but road trips to Auburn and Missouri won't be easy for this Gators team. The nonconference could work in Florida's favor, especially if Florida State remains down.

7. Tennessee Volunteers

Now that we're well into the top half of this list, the rest of these schedules are among the toughest in the country. Tennessee must face Alabama, Texas A&M, LSU, and Texas. The Vols figure to be underdogs in all four games at this point. The bottom of the schedule offers a reprieve, though, with Tennessee facing Arkansas, South Carolina, Kentucky, and Vanderbilt. Tennessee could be favored in all four of those.

8. Missouri Tigers

The first five weeks set up well for Eli Drinkwitz and Missouri -- it's not hard to see this group starting 5-0. Then the road gets tougher. October presents meetings with Texas A&M and Ole Miss and in November, Missouri must face Texas and Georgia in back-to-back weeks.

9. Texas A&M Aggies

The Aggies avoid a difficult non-con showdown and will be favored in all three games outside the SEC. Within the conference, A&M gets to play Kentucky, South Carolina, Missouri, and Arkansas. A tough road trip to LSU awaits, but the Aggies get Texas in College Station this year.

10. Kentucky Wildcats

Kentucky faces its fair share of top SEC teams, including dates with LSU, Alabama, and Texas A&M. The odds of an upset in those games are long, but at least the Wildcats get LSU and Alabama at home. If new head coach Will Stein can get an impressive transfer class to gel, Kentucky has winnable games vs. South Carolina, Vanderbilt, and Missouri. Kentucky will notch nonconference wins vs. South Alabama and Youngstown State.

11. Auburn Tigers

Auburn plays Baylor in the non-conference schedule, which gives new head coach Alex Golesh a chance to go 3-0 outside of the SEC. Conference play won't be easy, but the Tigers have winnable games vs. Arkansas, Mississippi State, Vanderbilt, and Florida. The bad news? Auburn makes trips to Georgia and Alabama.

12. LSU Tigers

Lane Kiffin signed the top-ranked portal class in the sport and with LSU's schedule, Kiffin will have a chance to push for the CFP in year one. LSU plays bottom-of-the-barrel SEC teams like Kentucky, Mississippi State, and Arkansas. The three toughest games on LSU's schedule are Alabama, Texas A&M, and Texas, and all three games are at home. A road trip to Ole Miss won't be easy, but LSU can manage this slate.

13. Alabama Crimson Tide

Alabama will face Georgia again in 2026, a game that always promises to be one of the SEC's most entertaining. The Crimson Tide gets the luck of hosting the Bulldogs. Other tough contests include meetings with LSU and Texas A&M. Alabama faces A&M at home while making the trip to Baton Rouge. Alabama's conference schedule includes a handful of games where the Tide should be easy favorites, including Kentucky, Mississippi State, and South Carolina.

14. South Carolina Gamecocks

The Gamecocks have faced some brutal schedules in recent seasons, but Shane Beamer's group catches a relative break in 2026. Alabama, Georgia, and Texas A&M are the three toughest games on the slate, but two of those contests will be played in Williams-Brice Stadium. That home crowd has allowed South Carolina to pull off some massive upsets over the years. South Carolina should be the favorites vs. the likes of Kentucky and Arkansas and gets two automatic wins in nonconference, facing Towson and Kent State.

15. Vanderbilt Commodores

Speaking of Vanderbilt, the schedule gives them a chance to weather the loss of Pavia. Alabama, Georgia, and Ole Miss are on the schedule (All three made the playoff in 2025) but two of those games are at home and Vanderbilt catches breaks elsewhere. There's no LSU, Texas, or Texas A&M on the slate and Vandy gets to play Kentucky, Arkansas, and Mississippi State, three teams projected to finish near the bottom of the SEC.

16. Georgia Bulldogs

Georgia's schedule lines up for the Dawgs to make a championship run in 2026. Ole Miss, Alabama, and Oklahoma are Georgia's three toughest opponents, but aside from those games, UGA should be favorites in the rest of their contests. Georgia faces Oklahoma in Athens while making trips to Oxford and Tuscaloosa. The true strength of Georgia's schedule will ultimately be determined by how good schools like Florida, Arkansas, and Auburn are with first-year coaches. Georgia faces Vanderbilt, too, but with Diego Pavia leaving, its hard to say if Vandy will be as tough an out as it has been.

On 2/8/2026 at 1:55 PM, Reese Bennett said:

Here's a few more current photo. More pounds and more accelerated aging.

He's getting close to an aggy epitaph: "Coach Elko didn't lose, he just ran out of lipid panels."

37 minutes ago, Jimbob said:

Isn’t this their 15th year and they have only played UGA once?

I would guess 9-3 this season, overachieve early and collapse late is a trend forming under the shaded girth of the Elk.

They are never playing Georgia again. It's their consolation prize for the SEC breaking the gentlemen's agreement.

I think coaches making millions every year can afford to DoorDash a couple of salads, even on the road. They are just gluttonous and lazy. Most of these fucking guys hop on a golf cart to get to their respective practice fields.

22 hours ago, Reese Bennett said:

Hey you snowflakes, this is a leader of men. He pushes everyone to be their best and you're just jealous you don't have a man with this kind of character in your program.

So what if he let's people think he was in the Marines? Stolen valor is an aggy tradition. So what if he is a Bill O'Brien acolyte? That's a great coaching tree The Elk is smart to tap into. Nothing but greatness ahead with The Elk and his band of brothers at the helm.

Stupid sips.

You know what Markinson did for the first 17 of his 26 years of his coaching career? Counterintelligence. Markinson's gone; there is no Markinson. I could be Markinson and you wouldn't know it.

1 hour ago, Vertuzzi said:

I think coaches making millions every year can afford to DoorDash a couple of salads, even on the road.

I love how slim guys feel they aren't fat due to tremendous virtue and will power. If it was as easy for everybody as it is for you, why would anybody choose obesity?