College football: 10 teams that will take the next step after big bowl win

College football team ready to make a leap No. 3: Texas A&M Aggies

Bowl Result: Def. North Carolina 41-27 in Capital One Orange Bowl

Evaluating what’s next for the Texas A&M Aggies is a somewhat tricky endeavor. On the one hand, they seemingly validated arguments that they were deserving of a spot in the College Football Playoff this year as they withstood a fearsome attack from North Carolina in the Orange Bowl. That’s big news for Jimbo Fisher’s team who had often fallen short of expectations.

At the same time, the Aggies are set to lose stalwart quarterback Kellen Mond, assuming he does indeed make the leap to the NFL instead of taking advantage of an extra year of eligibility. While Mond has often been inconsistent throughout his career, losing a longtime starter at quarterback could raise some questions.

Ultimately, however, it does feel as if things are starting to come to fruition for the Aggies under Fisher’s guidance. They have potentially quality replacement options at quarterback, even if they don’t do something like attack the transfer portal. Moreover, Isaiah Spiller and Devon Achane should be back to carry the rushing attack in 2021.

If that weren’t enough, Fisher has brought in a bevy of defensive talent to College Station. If they can realize that talent and get someone to step in for Mond, it’s reasonable to believe that A&M could once again be on the precipice of making it into the Playoff field.