Texas A&M climbed to No. 9 in the latest AP Top 25 football rankings despite not playing during Week 4, marking the program’s highest poll position of the Mike Elko era and putting them one spot ahead of rival Texas. The Aggies’ move came after last week’s statement win over Notre Dame and benefited from losses and drops among other ranked teams, while Texas sits at No. 10 despite a 55-0 victory over Sam Houston.

Texas A&M (3-0) enjoyed a bye week and still managed to leap from No. 10 to No. 9 as AP voters rewarded the team's early season performance and win over Notre Dame. Illinois' blowout loss to Indiana and other shifts in the top 25 helped open the door for the Aggies to reach their highest ranking in three years without adding a result this weekend.

Texas (3-1) dropped from eighth to 10th in the new poll, even after notching its largest win margin of the season against Sam Houston. The Longhorns, previously ahead of A&M, lost ground as Oklahoma and Indiana surged behind impressive victories. A&M’s rise during a bye week highlights how top 25 reshuffling often benefits teams who remain undefeated while their peers falter. The Aggies now lead Texas in the AP rankings heading into an SEC showdown with Auburn on Saturday. The two will meet up in Austin later in November.