Mark Stoops has raised the profile of Kentucky football. Could he turn around the fortunes of Texas A&M?

According to The Athletic and FOX Sports’ Bruce Feldman on FOX’s Big Noon Kickoff on Saturday, Stoops is a “name to watch” for the Texas A&M opening. That job came open on Nov. 12 as Jimbo Fisher was fired with 2 games remaining in his 6th season.

Stoops’s 72 wins in Lexington are the most in program history, with the Wildcats registering a pair of 10-win seasons under his tenure (2018 and 2021). While they haven’t been quite able to capitalize on that success and take the next step, they have made massive strides compared to where they were before his arrival. And he has been rewarded for his success: he is under contract until 2030. But could College Station be the next stop?

Along with Stoops, other “options” for the Aggies according to Feldman could be Kansas State’s Chris Kleiman and Kansas’ Lance Leipold, along with Mike Elko, Fisher’s DC from 2018-2021 who left to become the head coach at Duke and has had an instant impact.

A&M could also reach out to Ryan Day, especially if Ohio State doesn’t beat Michigan on Saturday and ends up ultimately missing the College Football Playoff, Feldman added.

Meanwhile, Stoops and Kentucky wrap up their regular season at Louisville on Saturday.

Sydney Hunte

Sydney is an Atlanta-based journalist who has covered everything from SEC and ACC football to MLS, the U.S. men's national soccer team and professional tennis. His work has appeared on such platforms as SB Nation, Cox Media Group and FanSided.