Klatt's 'Popcorn' Dig, Reed Trash Talk and CBS Label Pile Scrutiny on Texas A&M

Texas A&M entered the final week before its 2026 season opener absorbing criticism from multiple directions, as FOX Sports analyst Joel Klatt branded the program average, quarterback Marcel Reed's trash talk toward Texas drew media ridicule, and CBS Sports flagged Alabama transfer wide receiver Isaiah Horton as a high-variance addition to the Aggie offense.

During an interview with The Next Round on Tuesday, Klatt grouped Texas A&M alongside Auburn as programs he characterized as inconsistent, coining the term that quickly spread across fan and media channels.

They're a popcorn program.

— Joel Klatt, FOX Sports

The label drew immediate pushback from Aggies Wire, which noted that Texas A&M has averaged 8.3 wins per season since joining the SEC in 2012, compiled 13 winning seasons in 14 years, and reached the College Football Playoff last season under head coach Mike Elko, who carries a 19-7 overall record through three seasons in College Station, including the program's first 11-0 start since 1992. Critics of Klatt's assessment also pointed out that he did not include a single SEC team in his personal top 25 rankings, omitting Georgia and Texas despite both finishing in the top five of major national polls.

Reed Trash Talk and the Horton Question

Separately on Tuesday, Reed drew attention for bold comments directed at Texas quarterback Arch Manning and the Longhorns, vowing to beat the rival program. An SEC reporter mocked the timing and substance of the remarks on air, adding another layer of unwanted attention to the Aggies as they prepare to host Missouri State on Saturday.

CBS Sports writer Brad Crawford added to the scrutiny by placing Horton on a list of the top 25 boom-or-bust players ahead of the 2026 season. The 6-foot-4, 215-pound receiver transferred from Alabama after posting 42 receptions for 511 yards and eight touchdowns in his lone season with the Crimson Tide, and recorded 616 yards and five touchdowns in his final year at Miami. Crawford cited Horton's delayed emergence — he did not become an impact player at Miami until his third season — as the source of uncertainty, while acknowledging his size and athleticism as potential assets within new offensive coordinator Holmon Wiggins's system. Horton was confirmed as the starting X receiver on the Aggies' first depth chart, and is expected to form a three-receiver core alongside Ashton Bethel-Roman and Mario Craver following the departure of KC Concepcion to the NFL Draft.