Texas A&M is breaking in a new coaching staff but still boasts plenty of playmakers on both sides of the ball, and did extensive work in the transfer portal to replenish the roster
Nathan King
With Auburn's 2024 campaign close to a month away, Auburn Undercover will finish up breaking down each of the Tigers' regular-season opponents. Next up is Auburn's home finale against Texas A&M, which is breaking in a new coaching staff but still boasts plenty of playmakers on both sides of the ball, and did extensive work in the transfer portal to replenish the roster.
2023 IN REVIEW
Jimbo Fisher was already feeling the heat entering 2023, following a 2022 season that featured a loss to App State and a 2-6 SEC record. An SEC-opening win over Auburn was part of a 4-1 start for the Aggies, but the injury to quarterback Conner Weigman put a damper on the new-look offense under coordinator Bobby Petrino.
Texas A&M was sitting at 5-4 following a close loss at Ole Miss before coming home and blistering Mississippi State, 51-10. Still, Fisher was fired the next day, and former Aggies defensive coordinator and sitting Duke head coach Mike Elko was tabbed as his replacement in late November.
RETURNING PRODUCTION (ESPN SP+)
Offense: 71.0% (No. 35 nationally)
Defense: 63.5% (No. 53)
Despite what seemed like an initial bloodletting for A&M's roster in the portal, Elko was able to retain a number of important pieces on both sides of the ball, including starters at quarterback, receiver, offensive line, defensive line, linebacker and defensive back. The Aggies blended Group of Five and Power Five pickups in the transfer portal, with plenty of incoming production, and have replenished the roster with a team that appears ready to compete in Year 1.
TRANSFER SNAPSHOT
247Sports transfer class ranking: No. 4
Top additions: EDGE Nic Scourton (Purdue), EDGE Cashius Howell (Bowling Green), CB Will Lee III (Kansas State), WR Cyrus Allen (Louisiana Tech), OL Kolinu'u Faaiu (Utah), LB Scooby Williams (Florida)
Top losses: DT Walter Nolan, QB Max Johnson, DB Jacoby Mathews, DT Isaiah Raikes, WR Evan Stewart, CB Deuce Harmon, EDGE Fadil Diggs, TE Jake Johnson, DT LT Overton, S Jardin Gilbert
RECENT RECRUITING CLASSES (247SPORTS)
2021: No. 9
2022: No. 1
2023: No. 10
2024: No. 16
5 PLAYERS TO KNOW
WR Jahdae Walker: One of the major losses for the Aggies in the portal was star wideout Evan Stewart, whose 5-star status held Texas A&M land the No. 1 class in 2022. Ainias Smith also departed for the NFL, so three of the Aggies' top three receivers are gone, making someone like Walker (35 receptions, 590 yards and two touchdowns) key for quarterback Conner Weigman and new offensive coordinator Collin Klein.
LT Trey Zuhn III: One of three returning starters for Texas A&M's offensive line is Zuhn, the team's starting left tackle the past two seasons. He took a step forward in a number of areas in 2023 and is now the anchor of a group that could be a strength for the Aggies, with plenty of returning experience, and some nice additions in the transfer portal.
DE Nic Scourton: It probably won't take long for the SEC to know Scourton's name. One of the top pass-rushers in the transfer portal from Purdue, Scourton is projected as a potential first-rounder next year, after he posted 10 sacks and 15 tackles for loss last season. Scourton looked as advertised in spring practice, and with the Aggies losing a number of pieces from one of the league's best pass-rushing groups last season, his impact will be one of the most valuable for Texas A&M as a whole this fall.
DT Shemar Turner: With defensive line transfers leaving like Walter Nolan, Isaiah Raikes and LT Overton, Turner's role as a disrupter takes on all the more importance for the Aggies in 2024. Versatile enough to take on multiple roles on Texas A&M's defensive line, Turner had 10.5 tackles for loss and two strip-sacks as parent of a talented unit last season. Elko reloaded with some new pieces, but Turner is one of the last remaining of Texas A&M's highly touted defensive recruits from the Fisher era.
SERIES HISTORY
Even with the SEC West now scrapped, Auburn will meet the Aggies for at least the next two seasons, as they've done annually since the league's expansion back in 2012. Auburn had won four of five over Texas A&M from 2015-19 before stumbling in the series of late, with only one win (2022) since then. Texas A&M leads the all-time series 8-6, dating back to the first meeting in 1911.
TEXAS A&M 2024 SCHEDULE
vs. Notre Dame
vs. McNeese State
at Florida
vs. Bowling Green
vs. Arkansas (Arlington, Texas)
vs. Missouri
BYE
at Mississippi State
vs. LSU
at South Carolina
BYE
vs. New Mexico State
at Auburn
vs. Texas
ESPN FPI projection: 8-4
QUICK PREDICTION
Preseason metrics are high on Elko's rebuild in College Station, as evidenced in a Vegas win total of 8.5. It's one of the easiest SEC schedules, however, with one of the lightest road slates in the league, as Auburn may be the best team the Aggies play away from Kyle Field. Can the Tigers make good on that? Of course, this game will be determined by how these teams progress over the course of the season, as opposed to an early season matchup. Texas A&M could be riding high against a manageable schedule. At the same time, though, Auburn will be eager to close out its home docket with a win before a tough test on the road in the Iron Bowl the following week. Both teams will have to avoid a lookahead spot to their top rivalry game the next Saturday.
If Auburn had any semblance of offense in College Station last season, it may have been able to pull off the win. Weigman is back and will look to take a step forward as an experienced SEC quarterback, but will his personnel be good enough to outscore Auburn on the road in November? At the end of the day, Hugh Freeze and the Tigers shouldn't lose to a Year 1 team at home, especially one that isn't overflowing with talent and playmakers just yet.
Early score prediction: Auburn 27, Texas A&M 21
EARLY AUBURN OPPONENT PREVIEWS
Week 2 vs. Cal
Week 3 vs. New Mexico
Week 4 vs. Arkansas
Week 5 vs. Oklahoma
Week 6 at Georgia
Week 8 at Missouri
Week 9 at Kentucky
Week 10 vs. Vanderbilt
Week 12 vs. ULM
***Subscribe to Auburn Undercover for the latest news and intel, podcasts, recruiting coverage and more***
***Get Auburn news straight to your inbox with the Auburn Undercover newsletter***
