Texas A&M's move to the Southeastern Conference in 2012 could go down as one of the best realignment jumps in college football history.
That's according to On3 Sports college football analyst Andy Staples, who recently released a list of which schools should be the happiest with their respective moves in the 2010s.
The Aggies top the list as what Staples believes should be most content, after 14 years in the SEC. While Texas A&M has yet to capture the league championship since joining the conference, the program has consistently stamped itself as one of the premier football programs every year.
Former Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel played a massive role in ushering in the new era in Bryan-College Station. College football legends like wideout Mike Evans, defensive end Myles Garrett and many others dedicated their time in the Maroon and White to set the program up for future success in the SEC, which helped put more of the national spotlight on Texas A&M.
Reading former Nebraska AD Bill Moos’ book — where he writes about meeting with Bob Bowlsby in 2020 about a potential return to the Big 12 — got me thinking about the realignment moves of the 2010s.
— Andy Staples (@AndyStaples) February 19, 2026
So I ranked them based on who should be happiest…https://t.co/LZLWDwtrL1pic.twitter.com/X526HWtfND
Through 14 seasons in the league, the Aggies boast a 64-49 record against conference foes, while also competing in 12 bowl games. Texas A&M reached the eight-win mark in 11 of 14 seasons, with head coach Mike Elko securing the school's first back-to-back eight-win campaigns since 2020 and 2021, in his first two campaigns at the helm.
Since the Aggies joined the SEC in 2012, the landscape of college athletics has been through dramatic shifts and changes. The transfer portal and NIL have opened up doors that many thought would remain closed. Texas A&M has been forced to adapt to those changes, along with the other SEC programs, but the Aggies' leadership has done well navigating through the obstacles.
After the most historically successful campaign since 1992, the Aggies are reeling in some of the best recruits in the nation to compete on the largest stage in college football, as Elko landed the No. 4 transfer portal class and No. 7 recruiting class in the 2026 rankings. Texas A&M's realignment to the SEC over a decade ago has carved a path for the school to be in the national spotlight for years to come.
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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: On3 Sports analyst ranks Texas A&M as happiest of 2010s realignment