COLLEGE STATION, Texas (KBTX) – The SEC league office announced Tuesday afternoon the 2027 conference baseball schedule for Texas A&M, highlighting several high-profile matchups at Blue Bell Park and a road trip to Austin.

The upcoming season marks the third under head coach Michael Earley. The Aggies are coming off an NCAA Regional appearance.

Key Matchups at Blue Bell Park

Texas A&M will host five SEC series inside the friendly confines of Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park:

• Tennessee (March 26–28): The Aggies’ first home conference series.
• Oklahoma (April 9–11): The defending national champions visit College Station for the first time since 2012, when both programs were members of the Big 12.
• LSU (April 23–25)
• Arkansas (May 7–9)
• Ole Miss (May 20–22): The regular-season and conference home finale.

Road Tests and the Lone Star Showdown

The Aggies’ road slate features a premier matchup in Austin, along with four other road series:

• Alabama (March 19–21): The conference opener in Tuscaloosa.
• Kentucky (April 2–4)
• Mississippi State (April 16–18)
• South Carolina (April 30–May 2)
• Texas (May 14–16): The highly anticipated Lone Star Showdown in Austin.

The 2027 SEC Baseball Tournament is scheduled for May 25–30 at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium in Hoover, Alabama.

All dates for the SEC baseball schedule are tentative and subject to change to accommodate television broadcasts.

Texas A&M Baseball 2027 SEC Schedule

Austin, TX — Former University of Texas basketball standout and NBA player Mo Bamba is returning to his Longhorn roots with the opening of Mo Bamba Cards & Collectibles, a new destination for sports cards, Pokémon and other trading card games, and memorabilia opening Friday, September 11 at 2350 Guadalupe Street, directly across from The University of Texas at Austin campus.

Designed to be as much a collector clubhouse as a retail store, Mo Bamba Cards & Collectibles pairs the nostalgia and sense of discovery of the neighborhood card shops many collectors grew up visiting with a modern, elevated experience built around today’s booming collectibles culture. Welcoming both seasoned collectors and newcomers alike, the store encourages customers to stay awhile with lounge seating, communal tables for trading, game play and opening boxes, and a large TV wall streaming sporting events and collector-focused programming.

The store arrives amid a resurgence in trading cards and collectibles, as a longtime hobby continues to expand across sports, entertainment and gaming and attract a new generation of collectors. Mo Bamba Cards & Collectibles is designed for both sides of the hobby, offering high-end “1 of 1” cards for experienced collectors while remaining approachable and value-priced for someone walking into a card shop or opening a pack for the first time.

Photo courtesy: Mo Bamba Cards & Collectibles

For Bamba, bringing the concept to Guadalupe Street marks a full-circle return to the neighborhood where his own basketball career took off. Bamba played for the Texas Longhorns during the 2017–18 season, earning Big 12 All-Defensive Team and All-Newcomer Team honors before being selected No. 6 overall in the 2018 NBA Draft. Now, just steps from the Forty Acres, he is creating a new gathering place for Austin collectors, sports fans, students and families.

“Austin is where a lot of things really started for me, so we were very intentional in selecting a location that was right across from UT and accessible to the students,” said Bamba. “I wanted to create the kind of card shop I’d actually want to hang out in — a place where you can come in looking for a specific card, rip a pack, watch a game, make a trade or just talk sports with people who are into the same things you are. There’s nothing like that feeling of not knowing what you’re going to find, and I want people to have that here. I also want to tell stories and give customers a museum-like experience when they come in. The artwork and displays are all connected to meaningful things in my life, but also designed to resonate with collectors.”

The store’s carefully curated inventory spans major sports including football, baseball, basketball, soccer and hockey, alongside entertainment and trading card games including Pokémon, Yu-Gi-Oh!, One Piece, Magic: The Gathering and more. A museum-inspired display area will showcase rare and limited-edition cards with an art-gallery-inspired presentation, while an organized “wax wall” offers sealed packs and boxes across a range of interests and price points.

Bamba’s own story is also woven throughout the space, from autographed jerseys and memorabilia from his basketball career, to custom artwork celebrating his Ivorian-American roots. An interactive photo opportunity invites visitors to measure up against a mural of Bamba’s famed 7-foot-10-inch wingspan, adding a playful, personal element to the store experience.

For collectors looking to buy, sell or better understand their collections, Mo Bamba Cards & Collectibles will offer consignment opportunities, grading services and expert collector guidance. Staff will help customers assess card rarity and market value, determine whether a card may warrant professional grading and how to make more informed decisions about their collections in an increasingly sophisticated collectibles marketplace. Subscription and loyalty programs will offer added benefits for frequent collectors and hobbyists.

Community programming will further extend the experience beyond the shelves. Monthly trade nights, VIP collector events, and in-store live breaks will give Austin collectors recurring opportunities to meet, trade and connect. Topps TV and major sporting events will regularly stream across the store’s TV wall, and the space will also be available for private parties and collector gatherings.

The result is a modern take on the neighborhood card shop many collectors remember from childhood — a place where collectors can chase a rare card or belly-up to the bargain bin and sift through in search of hidden gems with potential upside. More than a place to shop, Mo Bamba Cards & Collectibles is a space to make a trade, talk sports and spend time with people who share the same enthusiasm for collecting.

Mo Bamba Cards & Collectibles officially opens on Friday, September 11 at 2350 Guadalupe Street. Public Grand Opening festivities will kick off at 10 a.m. with an official ribbon-cutting ceremony with Mo Bamba, followed by the opportunity for Austinites to shop the new store, meet Bamba and enter-to-win exclusive giveaways throughout the day. The store will be open Friday, September 11 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., with celebrations continuing Saturday, September 12 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Regular store hours will begin Sunday, September 13, with the store open daily from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

For more information, visit mobambacollects.com and follow on social media @mobambacollects.

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About Mo Bamba Cards & Collectibles

Founded by former Texas Longhorn and NBA player Mo Bamba, Mo Bamba Cards & Collectibles is an Austin destination for sports cards, trading card games, memorabilia and collector culture. Located at 2350 Guadalupe Street across from The University of Texas at Austin, the store reimagines the neighborhood card shop as an elevated, welcoming place to shop, trade, play and connect. Its offerings span sports and entertainment collectibles, sealed products, singles, autographed memorabilia, resale and consignment, grading services and expert collector guidance, alongside year-round trade nights, gaming events, watch parties and collector gatherings. For more information, visit mobambacollects.com and follow on social media @mobambacollects.

Photo courtesy: Mo Bamba Cards & Collectibles

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That was the number one question on my mind when I turned on the Texas Longhorns’ opening game of the 2026 season against No. 85 Texas State.

Yes.

A little.

I walked away from Manning’s 2025 game film by putting a second-round grade on him. He’d clearly regressed from his 2023-2024 game film when I gave him a first-round grade.

In what ways had Manning regressed?

-Didn’t look comfortable

-Wasn’t able to build chemistry with his receivers

-Struggled on throws beyond his first read.

These were the things I was paying close attention to as the tape began playing.

WATCH TEXAS VS. TEXAS STATE BY CLICKING HERE

The first thing that popped

He looked more comfortable operating the Longhorns’ offense in the opener.

It stood out.

I wrote it down in my notes. His movements were crisper and more fluid-looking.

Receivers

It was also noticeable that he had BETTER chemistry with this group of receivers.

The flow was better. There was more cohesion.

That’s another plus.

Shaky beyond his first read

I charted Manning going 8/11 on his second-read throws. At face value, that sounds pretty good. However, several of those were short passes (0-9 yards).

He still doesn’t look that comfortable on throws beyond his first read. I noted a tendency to try to use too much of his upper body and to attempt to aim and steer the ball rather than relying on an equally distributed upper and lower body release. It also seemed like he had a tendency to tense up more on throws beyond his first read.

In his defense⎯

Manning’s best throw of the game vs. Texas State came on a second-read throw.

I’m just not sold on it yet.