Sep 27, 2025; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies quarterback Marcel Reed (10) reacts after throwing a touchdown pass during the first quarter against the Auburn Tigers at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

Texas A&M Predicted to Meet Upstart Big Ten Team in CFP

Originally posted on Texas A&M Aggies on SI
By Jon Alfano | Last updated Oct 1, 2025 9:29 AM ET

Not many had the Texas A&M Aggies in the College Football Playoff before the season, but they certainly look like a contender now.

The Aggies have been one of the more impressive teams in college football over the first month of the season. They put themselves on the map with a thrilling 41-40 road win over Notre Dame on Sept. 13, then avoided the post-big-win letdown with a 16-10 victory over Auburn on Saturday. There's still plenty of football left to play, but the Aggies look like more of a contender than they have in years.

As such, they're now a popular pick in many CFP projections, and one of said projections has them taking on an intriguing foe.

Texas A&M, Indiana Projected for First-Ever Matchup

Sports Illustrated's newest CFP projection has the Aggies claiming the No. 8 seed and hosting the No. 9-seeded Indiana Hoosiers in the first round. This would be the first-ever matchup between the two teams, as they haven't even met in a random bowl game over the years.

"There are a lot of potential minefield games for the Aggies, but they’re likely to be favored in every game until they go to Texas at the end of the season," SI's Bryan Fischer wrote. "The Notre Dame win looks much better after this weekend, too, just as the victory over Illinois has aged well for the Hoosiers."

The Hoosiers were one of the biggest surprises in college football last season, going 11-2 to make their first CFP appearance. They were no match for Notre Dame in a 27-17 loss in the first round, but for a team that, quite frankly, hasn't had much success over the years, it was definitely a season to remember.

However, Curt Cignetti's Hoosiers might be even better this year than they were last year. They just blew the doors off of a ranked Illinois team in a 63-10 beatdown on Sept. 20, showing that they are not to be messed with. They still have a few big tests, namely road matchups against Oregon on Oct. 11 and Penn State on Nov. 7, but they have a ton of potential.

Would they be a match for a high-flying Aggies team in front of a raucous home crowd, though? Well, we'll have to wait and see if this matchup even happens in December (more likely that it won't), but it would be an intriguing showdown if it does.

This article first appeared on Texas A&M Aggies on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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