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By Rowan Fisher-Shotton
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Texas A&M has had a frustrating start to the 2026 season. They opened with dominant wins over Missouri State (50-0) and Arizona State (48-20), but quickly lost momentum with defeats to Kentucky (31-21) at home and LSU (35-6) on the road. They bounced back with a convincing 34-7 win over Arkansas, only to suffer another setback against Missouri, losing 27-6. Last week's 41-0 shutout of The Citadel has offered some encouragement, but it hasn't erased the damage from their SEC losses.
At 4-3, Texas A&M faces an uphill battle to get back into the College Football Playoff at this point, and their next test is a big one: on the road at No. 13 Alabama on Saturday. Thankfully for the Aggies, they should be getting back two key players for that contest: wide receiver Mario Craver and defensive tackle DJ Hicks. ESPN's Pete Thamel reported Friday night that both players are expected to play after being previously considered questionable due to injury.
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Craver is a junior wideout who transferred to Texas A&M from Mississippi State ahead of the 2025 season. He broke out in his first year with the Aggies, hauling in 59 catches for 917 yards and four touchdowns, earning third-team All-SEC honors and emerging as one of quarterback Marcel Reed's go-to targets. This season, he's already caught 24 passes for 241 yards and two touchdowns in six games, but an injury suffered against LSU on Sept. 26 has limited his availability and forced him to miss last week's win over The Citadel.
Getting Craver back would give Reed one of his top offensive weapons, something he could probably use right now. Reed has struggled this season, completing just 55.7% of his passes for 1,227 yards and seven touchdowns with six interceptions, along with 175 rushing yards and two rushing scores through seven games.
Hicks' return, meanwhile, would help strengthen the Aggies' defensive line. He has recorded 12 total tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, and 0.5 sacks through six games this season.
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Texas A&M's remaining schedule includes at South Carolina on Nov. 7, after which they'll host No. 11 Tennessee, travel to Oklahoma, and close out their regular season at No. 19 Texas. That's a brutal stretch, and with the Aggies already having three losses on their record, another would put an end to their CFP hopes. Saturday's contest in Tuscaloosa is shaping up to be a must-win for this team to keep its season alive.
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