Cameron Ohnysty
August 26, 2024 5:00 am CT
The 2024 college football season started with an exciting Week 0 matchup in Ireland, as the 10th-ranked Florida State Seminoles faced a feisty Georgia Tech program behind former quarterback Haynes King, who led the Yellow Jackets to a 24-21 victory after kicker Aidan Birr nailed a 44-yard field as time expired.
Next weekend, Texas A&M’s season opener vs. Notre Dame will take over the airwaves. ESPN’s College Gameday will head to College Station for the first time in a long time, helping kick off new head coach Mike Elko’s inaugural campaign with the program.
Coming off of what can only be deemed a successful fall practice slate, Texas A&M’s 2024 roster is talented enough to compete for a spot in the expanded college football playoffs if the offense gels and the defense dominates.
Redshirt sophomore quarterback Conner Weigman’s return to the lineup is an obvious strength. Still, A&M’s stacked defensive line, after adding Big Tens sack leader (10) Nic Scourton, paired with the improved secondary, looks to carry the team to a nine—or possibly ten-win season.
Ahead of what should be a roller coaster ride of a year (per usual), our writing staff at Aggies Wire have predicted how A&M’s season could pan out, providing our game-game predictions.
Week 1: Texas A&M vs. Notre Dame
Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman speaks with the media after a Notre Dame football practice at Irish Athletic Center on Wednesday, July 31, 2024, in South Bend.
Shaun Hollko (Contributor): Loss
Jarrett Johnson (Contributor): Win
Cameron Ohnysty (Lead Writer): Win
Score Prediction: Texas A&M 27, Notre Dame 24
Analysis: Mike Elko is highly familiar with Notre Dame after facing the program during his final two seasons at Duke, but this game will come down to offensive line play on both sides. If Texas A&M’s stacked defensive front can consistently pressure Irish QB Riley Leonard, A&M will hold a stark advantage.
Week 2: Texas A&M vs. McNeese State
Matt Pendleton-USA TODAY Sports
Shaun Hollko (Contributor): Win
Jarrett Johnson (Contributor): Win
Cameron Ohnysty (Lead Writer): Win
Score prediction: Texas A&M 42, McNeese 13
Analysis: If A&M can get past Notre Dame in Week 1, expect the Aggie’s revamped offense to take full advantage of an inferior opponent, especially on the ground.
Week 3: Texas A&M at Florida
[Matt Pendleton/Gainesville Sun]
Shaun Hollko (Contributor): Win
Jarrett Johnson (Contributor): Win
Cameron Ohnysty (Lead Writer): Loss
Score prediction: Texas A&M 21, Florida 17
Analysis: As you can see, our writing team slightly disagrees with the outcome, as Texas A&M hasn’t won an SEC road game since the 2021 season, and heading to the Swamp in September isn’t what the doctor ordered. While the team prediction shows a close victory, it’s very hard to win on the road no matter the team you’re facing.
Week 4: Texas A&M vs. Bowling Green
Lon Horwedel-USA TODAY Sports
Shaun Hollko (Contributor): Win
Jarrett Johnson (Contributor): Win
Cameron Ohnysty (Lead Writer): Win
Score prediction: Texas A&M 35, Bowling Green 10
Analysis: If Texas A&M is 3-0 entering Week 4, I don’t see Bowling Green posing a huge threat, but don’t forget that this team beat Georiga Tech last season.
Week 5: Texas A&M vs. Arkansas
Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Shaun Hollko (Contributor): Win
Jarrett Johnson (Contributor): Win
Cameron Ohnysty (Lead Writer): Win
Score prediction: Texas A&M 35, Arkansas 31
Analysis: Like every year, picking A&M to beat Arkansas is simply based on history. No matter how weak the Razorbacks or Aggie roster is, the end result is always too close for comfort for the Maroon & White, who have now won 11 out of the last 12 matchups.
Week 6: Texas A&M vs. Missouri
Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports
Shaun Hollko (Contributor): Loss
Jarrett Johnson (Contributor): Loss
Cameron Ohnysty (Lead Writer): Loss
Score prediction: Missouri 28. Texas A&M 24
Analysis: Ever since the SEC schedule was released, Missouri’s visit to College Station for an early afternoon matchup has had upset written all over it. Texas A&M’s secondary will be challenged throughout the afternoon, facing the lethal combination of quarterback Brady Cook and wide receiver Luther Burden, making for what could be a high-scoring contest in the Tiger’s favor.
Week 8: Texas A&M at Mississippi State
Brett Patzke-USA TODAY Sports
Shaun Hollko (Contributor): Win
Jarrett Johnson (Contributor): Win
Cameron Ohnysty (Lead Writer): Win
Score prediction: Texas A&M 27, Mississippi State 20
Analysis: New Bulldogs head coach Jeff Lebby will likely deal with the ups and downs that SEC play offers amid his first season, providing Texas A&M an opportunity to notch it’s first conference road victory if they fall to Florida.
Week 9: Texas A&M vs. LSU
Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports
Shaun Hollko (Contributor): Loss
Jarrett Johnson (Contributor): Loss
Cameron Ohnysty (Lead Writer): Win
Score prediction: LSU 31, Texas A&M 28
Analysis: Another game that both teams’ mid-season form will dictate. If A&M’s offensive identity is established and successful, this team can defeat or hang out with any team in the country. On the other side, if LSU’s secondary fails to improve, I see this being a high-scoring shootout, coming down to the final possession.
Week 10: Texas A&M at South Carolina
Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports
Shaun Hollko (Contributor): Win
Jarrett Johnson (Contributor): Win
Cameron Ohnysty (Lead Writer): Win
Score prediction: Texas A&M 28, South Carolina 17
Analysis: The staff is placing confidence in Mike Elko’s ability to keep his team focused at the end of the regular season, as the second to last road game against a wildcard South Carolina squad looks like a win on paper, but I’ll even admit that the predicted score is a bit too lopsided.
Week 12: Texas A&M vs. New Mexico State
New Mexico State Aggies wide receiver Kordell David (11) catches a touchdown pass in the corner of the end zone during the first quarter as Auburn Tigers take on New Mexico State Aggies at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Ala., on Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023.
Shaun Hollko (Contributor): Win
Jarrett Johnson (Contributor): Win
Cameron Ohnysty (Lead Writer): Win
Score prediction: Texas A&M 42, New Mexico State 21
Analysis: Here’s my analysis: Texas A&M will score more than 40, while the Aggie defense will allow the Aggie brethren a couple of late scores.
Week 13: Texas A&M at Auburn
Steve Roberts-USA TODAY Sports
Shaun Hollko (Contributor): Win
Jarrett Johnson (Contributor): Loss
Cameron Ohnysty (Lead Writer): Loss
Score prediction: Auburn 24, Texas A&M 21
Analysis: Texas A&M embarrassed Auburn even after Conner Weigman’s ankle injury, but that was inside a packed Kyle Field in early September. Late SEC road games could spell disaster for a team looking to secure a playoff spot. Even though the Aggies have a clear QB advantage over Tiger’s signal caller Peyton Thorne, this feels like a low-scoring defensive battle.
Week 14: Texas A&M vs. Texas
Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
Shaun Hollko (Contributor): Win
Jarrett Johnson (Contributor): Win
Cameron Ohnysty (Lead Writer): Loss
Score prediction: Texas A&M 28, Texas 27
Analysis: No matter what the national media tells you, Texas won’t simply run through the SEC amid the program’s first conference season. If they do, bravo! However, as I’ve stated throughout the offseason, both programs could be sitting at either 8-3 or 9-2 entering the season finale matchup, and even though I predict a close A&M loss, my staff is confident that the Aggies will protect home field behind a strong performance from Conner Weigman.
Final Record Prediction
Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports
Shaun Hollko (Contributor): 9-3 (6-2)
Jarrett Johnson (Contributor): 9-3 (5-3)
Cameron Ohnysty (Lead Writer): 8-4 (4-4)
Final record prediction: 9-3
Analysis: A 9-3 finish with 6-2 or 5-3 SEC record is highly plausible. If Texas A&M’s offensive line holds up, Conner Weigman will finish the season healthy and with 18 to 20-plus touchdown passes. The defensive line will wreak havoc, and most importantly, the secondary will prevent big plays through the air.
