Down.

2025 Same: 8-5, with a bowl win.
Positives: Continuity in coaching, more experienced QB and OL, more talent at WR, TE, RB, CB, 2024 freshman were able to develop (redshirted most).
Challenges: DL, away teams.

2026: Marcel developed in 2025 as he had to score more, and we gained more continuity, which yields an up year in the 2026 playoffs.

In 2026 the sec schedule flips so we'll have Georgia, Bama, Tennessee, Ole Miss, to go with tu and Arizona State

taylorswift13_ said:

---

In 2026 the sec schedule flips so we'll have Georgia, Bama, Tennessee, Ole Miss, to go with tu and Arizona State

---

Has the 2026 scheduling format been announced?

No but it was believed that, there would be at least some permanent rivals that will remain, then a switch every two years in sec teams we play. I assume Georgia will play at Kyle sometime this decade

taylorswift13_ said:

---

In 2026 the sec schedule flips so we'll have Georgia, Bama, Tennessee, Ole Miss, to go with tu and Arizona State

---

We don't know if we will go to 8 or 9 SEC games and who we are playing besides Texas. If the SEC goes to a 9-game schedule, there might be a 3-6-6 format. If that happens, our permanent opponents besides Texas might be LSU and Mississippi State. The 2026 SEC schedule might have us playing Georgia at Kyle Field for the first time ever and Kentucky at Kroger Field for the first time since 1953. I can also see us having home games against Tennessee and Ole Miss and a road game at Alabama, flipping the home and away from 2023.

@taylorswift13_, bring it on with an experienced QB, Elko in year 3 of his players and system, and solid recruiting we've had. However, I'm not sure why anyone plays challenging non-conference games anymore with a 12 team playoff. I'd drop ASU in 2026.

DenverAggie said:

---

@taylorswift13_, bring it on with an experienced QB, Elko in year 3 of his players and system, and solid recruiting we've had. However, I'm not sure why anyone plays challenging non-conference games anymore with a 12 team playoff. I'd drop ASU in 2026.

---

To answer your question, I am one of those fans who want 9 conference games and 1 nonconference Power 5 game for 10 games against Power 5 opponents. A 9-game conference schedule means an uneven number of home and away conference games, but that can be mitigated. In years we have 5 away conference games, we can get an extra home game against a Power 5 nonconference opponent. Likewise, in the years we have 5 home conference games, we can play a Power 5 nonconference opponent on the road or at a neutral site. Either way, I would like 5 home games against Power 5 teams every year, which would mean 2 cupcake games instead of 3 for season ticket holders.

I hate how the SEC schedules cupcake games in the second to last week of the regular season. I understand that the SEC schedules these games to rest for rivalry week, but that often means a cupcake opponent is the final home game for us and other SEC schools. For example, we played Western Carolina in 2015, New Mexico in 2017 Prairie View A&M in 2021, and Abilene Christian in 2023 as our final home games. We will play Samford in our final home game on 11/22/2025. The cupcake games should be played before November because we should play a conference opponent in our final home game every year.

I understand that we no longer need to build a tough schedule. There is no benefit to difficult games. No teams got into the playoffs by taking on additional losses to tough nonconference Power 4 teams. Several teams got in by avoiding tough nonconference Power 4 teams. Penn State's nonconference Power 4 opponent was 6-6 (5-4 Big 12) West Virginia, and Ohio State and Indiana did not play nonconference Power 4 opponents. I think we should play lesser nonconference Power 4 teams, such as Nebraska, Northwestern, Maryland, or Purdue.

Well that just makes way too much sense! So it is unlikely to happen.

A 9 game conference schedule will likely lead to more SEC teams with 3 or more losses. That doesn't position the conference well for playoff ientrants.

Aggie Michael said:

---

What's everyone's thoughts. We had a year in which Elko played a notable hand in two recruiting classes (transfer + HS), redid our staff (especially our coordinators) and changed our recruiting (less on talent, more on what he calls a fit or perhaps alternatively the "do more with less" view our AD spoke about).

Not sure if we will be upgrading any positions next year for sure. You can argue our QB situation will improve along with the RBs (assuming Moss, Owens are 100%) but both lines (offense, defense), the receiving core, etc can easily drop off next year depending on your views and what we picku. Will we have more wins next year?

---

Upside is 9&3 and downside is 6&6.

Is 7-5 up or down?