ESPN sees Texas A&M as a 'dangerous bubble team' ahead of 2026 season

The NCAA Tournament field expanded to 76 teams this offseason, lessening the burden on Power Four programs to win their division and potentially resulting in less competition towards the end of the regular season. However, the 2026-2027 season promises to be exciting, particularly for Texas A&M under new coach Bucky McMillan. The writer believes McMillan's second roster is more talented and has a chance to make a deep tournament run and possibly contend for an SEC title, provided nothing goes wrong with their health.

After losing several key starters, McMillan brought in seven transfers from the portal, with star shooting guard PJ Haggerty leading the way. Haggerty averaged close to 24 points per game while at Kansas State last season. The frontcourt has regained some size with forward Mackenzie Mgbako, Zach Clemence, and Jamie Vinson, along with new transfers Cade Phillips and Jalen Shelley, who bring a lot of potential and depth to the team and align well with McMillan's fast-paced, physical style of play.

While CBS Sports writer Matt Norlander ranks Texas A&M as the 73rd-best team entering the 2026-2027 season, ESPN considers the Aggies a "dangerous bubble team". This is largely due to the addition of PJ Haggerty, a player who has been a top-five scorer in the nation in back-to-back years. Haggerty is likely to replicate his scoring average from last season, but Mackenzie Mgbako, who missed all but seven games last season, is vital to Texas A&M's offensive success throughout the season.

The Aggies kick off the 2026-2027 season against Alabama State on Tuesday, November 3. For the latest coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions, follow Aggies Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like their Facebook page.