Will Texas A&M Ride SEC Bias To Number One After Embarrassing Win?

The Texas A&M Aggies escaped on Saturday afternoon in College Station with a 31-30 win over the South Carolina Gamecocks. That's the short version.

The long version is that it was yet another embarrassment for the SEC boosters, who relentlessly campaign for each and every SEC team to be treated as though they are automatically the best team in the country because of the conference patch they wear on their jerseys. This dynamic played out earlier this week, when chief booster Lane Kiffin went off during a press conference, saying that A&M should be the number one team in the country because they play in the SEC.

RELATED: No, Lane Kiffin, Even Though It's In The SEC, Texas A&M Should Not Be Number One

Well, Saturday comprehensively showed why that is, and always was, completely ridiculous. 

A&M needed a historic second-half comeback to beat a team that came to Kyle Field at 3-6, with just one win in the SEC. The Aggies averaged just 2.2 yards per carry. Marcel Reed threw some of the worst passes you'll ever see from a major college football program quarterback. One of the most expensive, if not literally the most expensive rosters in the country looked utterly hopeless on defense. Against a team that, again, had just one win in the SEC over a miserable Kentucky team. 

To the Aggies' credit, they were dominant in the second half. But the bigger takeaway here is how the SEC has built itself up into a "heads I win, tails you lose" league. 

COLLEGE STATION, Texas - Texas A&M Aggies safety Dalton Brooks (25) reacts after an interception during the second quarter against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Kyle Field on Nov. 15, 2025. Photo: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Texas A&M Sure To Get More Calls For Number One Now…Right?

When SEC teams are in A&M's position and play close games against bad, over-matched opponents, the narrative goes that it's because of the unmatched depth in that conference. Even when the game comes at home, as a massive favorite. On the other hand, if say, Ohio State or Indiana were to play a close game at home against an over-matched team, it's proof that they're overrated and that the Big Ten is "weak" compared to the mighty SEC. 

That's the "heads I win, tails you lose" game that's impossible to defeat. It's why the SEC remains hypothetically undefeated. Why the conference's media partners, network of extraordinarily biased commentators, coaches and voters are so relentless in their messaging. Because there is no result that can punish an SEC team. In their view, at least.

Does A&M deserve to be in the top 5, or top 3? Yes they do. Have they had an incredibly easy conference schedule, by SEC standards? Also yes. 

Here are the Aggies' conference opponents, with their records this season:

• Auburn — 4–6 overall; 1–6 SEC
• Mississippi State — 5–5 overall; 1–5 SEC
• Florida — 3–6 overall; 2–4 SEC
• Arkansas — 2–7 overall; 0–5 SEC
• LSU — 5–4 overall; 2–4 SEC
• Missouri — 6–3 overall; 2–3 SEC
• South Carolina — 3–6 overall; 1–6 SEC

That's as easy as it gets in that conference. Ohio State would also hypothetically go undefeated against that schedule. As would Indiana. And Oregon. See how much fun hypotheticals are?

A&M won't move up to number one in either poll. And it shouldn't. But that won't stop the relentless campaign to push the Aggies there.