Texas
Jimbo Fisher’s $77 million buyout was money well spent for Texas A&M. Just look
Oklahoma Sooners doomed by slow start against Ole Miss Rebels | Rapid reaction
The Oklahoman’s Jenni Carlson gives her quick thoughts on OU’s 34-26 loss to Ole Miss in Week 9 of the 2025 college football season.
I hate to be a voice for the opulent, but if the money works, flaunt it.
All the way to the elite of college football.
So while Texas A&M was dismantling LSU 49-25 Saturday night and taking control of he SEC race, it was hard to not see it for what it was.
While the college football world is collectively sick over the financial waste of universities firing coaches and paying exorbitant buyouts (Penn State, Florida), Texas A&M is doing just fine, thank you. After two years ago paying the largest buyout in college football history.
That was Texas A&M at the end of the 2023 season, doing the utter unthinkable by firing Jimbo Fisher and giving him $77 million to please go away as fast as possible.
That was Texas A&M on Saturday night in LSU’s famed Death Valley, where dreams go to die. Unless you have a spare $77 million laying in the desk drawer.
Hey, you’ve got to spend money to make money, right?
Because that cash — the unimaginable buyout of a colossal mistake of a coaching hire — brought hardscrabble coach Mike Elko to College Station.
You’ve seen Elko by now. Looks like a short order cook, wears a t-shirt on the sideline — untucked because, well, of course it is.
He also has the best team in the best conference in college football 21 games into his buildout at historically underachieving Texas A&M. So underachieving, in fact, that the joke around the SEC is they’re not Texas A&M.
They’re Texas 8&5. Every flipping year — despite every possible advantage to winning.
That’s why it was so strange when Elko stood at the SEC spring meetings in Destin, Fla., five months ago, and said he really liked this team. No, you don’t get it, he said.
He really liked this team. As in, this team can win a championship.
And everywhere around the SEC, they laughed. Because they’ve watched Kevin Sumlin and Fisher since the Aggies rolled into the SEC in 2012.
They’ve watched the program waste one of the greatest talents in college football history (Johnny Manziel), and the greatest high school recruiting class in history (2022).
And frankly, they watched the same Texas A&M begin its first season under Elko by winning seven of eight games. Then lose four of its last five to finish — you guessed it — 8-5.
That’s what makes this season so impressive. It’s not just that Elko has this group of players executing at their collective ceiling and dominating the big, bad SEC, it’s the way they’re burying the narratives of the past.
The Aggies are soft. They’ll fold when it matters most. Punch them in the mouth, and they back down.
They had six sacks against LSU. They had more than 200 yards rushing and 200 yards passing and — get this — won despite being negative-2 in turnover ratio.
They had eight runs of at least 10 yards. Had five catches of at least 17 yards. That’s 13 explosion plays, if you’re counting at home.
They held LSU to 55 yards rushing on 25 carries, and forced talented quarterback Garrett Nussmeier into his worst game of the season. With each play that exposed LSU’s fraud season of hype, coach Brian Kelly’s ball cap spun in a crooked mess.
Let this sink in: Texas A&M, the perpetual underachievers for decades upon decades, outscored LSU 35-7 in the second half. The Tigers’ only touchdown came in garbage time from a backup quarterback throwing to a backup wide receiver — against the backup Texas A&M defense.
And Elko was livid.
Just like he was livid when the Aggies allowed 40 points to Notre Dame and first-year starting quarterback CJ Carr. Took the final drive of the game in South Bend to win that one, a road victory that can only be surpassed by winning in Death Valley for the fist time since 1994.
As LSU coach Brian Kelly walked off the field, LSU fans chanted “Fire Kelly.” Meanwhile, in their own corner of Death Valley, Elko and the players swayed and sang the Aggie War Hymn with the 10,000 or so fans who followed for the ride.
There’s nothing fluky about it. You’ve got to spend money to make money.
Or in this case, to make champions.
Matt Hayes is the senior college football writer for USA TODAY Sports Network. Follow him on X at @MattHayesCFB.
The Texas Longhorns entered the 2025 season with more expectations than any team has had to deal with in recent memory.
Many among the media were ready to crown the team and quarterback Arch Manning before they even played one game. Of course, those unrealistic expectations were never met, even though the team finished with a 10-3 record and a Citrus Bowl win over the Michigan Wolverines.
2026 is heading in the same direction for the Longhorns. Many believe head coach Steve Sarkisian has the most talented team in the country. But in order to fix the issues from this past season, the Longhorns needed to fix one issue that has cost them in the past.
Changing The Narrative
One of the biggest issues the Longhorns had last season was the play of the offensive line. It was apparent in the first game of the season against the Ohio State Buckeyes that Manning didn’t have the pocket time needed to make big plays.
This offseason, Coach Sarkisian went out and found two massive transfer portal additions that should completely change the narrative on this offensive line.
It starts with potential starting right tackle Melvin Siani. Siani has spent time with the Temple Owls and last season with the Wake Forest Demon Deacons.
The Longhorns are set at left tackle with Trevor Goosby, who could play himself into being a top 10 pick in the 2027 NFL Draft. If the team can get competent play from Siani, the offense will be able to open up the playbook, and the world may finally see Manning at his college peak.
The Longhorns also went out and found a potential fix at left guard for the 2026 season. Western Kentucky Hilltoppers transfer Laurence Seymore could be another strong patch for the holes in the offensive line.
After spending the first two seasons of his college career with the Miami Hurricanes, Seymore made stops with the Akron Zips and the Hilltoppers.
Of course, the one concern with Seymore is wondering if he can compete at the SEC level coming from the C-USA.
This season for the Longhorns starts and stops with the play of Manning. Coach Sarkisian and the rest of this coaching staff understood that protecting their quarterback was the most important goal when building the 2026 roster.
The Longhorns are going to be leaning on veteran talent to protect their quarterback, and it may very well be the best decision they made this offseason.
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U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico promise to serve all in El Paso
U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico discusses key public issues in Texas during the first stop of his Frontera Tour July 11, 2026 in El Paso.
The two candidates vying for the U.S. Senate seat in Texas are making stops across the Lone Star State this week.
Democrat James Talarico and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton will head to South Texas as the two go head-to-head in the Nov. 3 General Election to replace U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas. Cornyn lost his reelection bid to Paxton in the Republican Primary Election.
The campaign tour continues for Talarico after hosting townhalls in El Paso and Marfa as part of his “Frontera Tour,” while Paxton is holding a “Rally in the Valley” in McAllen.
Here’s where the candidates will be in Texas.
Paxton heads to McAllen for ‘Rally in the Valley’
Paxton is heading to McAllen for his “Rally in the Valley” event at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 14. He’ll be joined by National Border Security Council President Paul Perez, TX-28 Nominee Tano Tijerina, and TX-34 Nominee Eric Flores.
The all-ages event will take place at University Draft House Townlake McAllen, 100 West Business 83, and spots can be reserved at eventbrite.com.
Talarico to visit Del Rio, Eagle Pass, Laredo
Talarico continues his “Frontera” tour with a stop in Del Rio on Monday, July 14.
“Gather with your family, friends, and neighbors to hear from James about taking his fight against Big Money and corruption to Washington. Together, we can win back power for working people in a system that’s rigged for the ultra-wealthy,” the event page states, adding that the program will be short and voters can greet Talarico after.
Here are the stops on Talarico’s “Frontera” tour:
Monday, July 13:
- 3 p.m. Memo’s Restaurant, 804 E Losoya St. in Del Rio
- 7 p.m. International Center For Trade, 3295 Bob Rogers Drive in Eagle Pass
Tuesday, July 14:
- 6 p.m. La Posada – San Agustin Ballroom, 1000 Zaragoza St. 107 in Laredo
Natassia Paloma may be reached at npaloma@gannett.com, @NatassiaPaloma on X, natassia_paloma on Instagram, and Natassia Paloma on Facebook.
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