NCAA Officially Puts Texas A&M’s Recruiting on Probation by Lowering Commits’ Star Rankings

Texas A&M football is reportedly facing a penalty that many are describing as strange and excessively burdensome, with doubts about its enforceability.

In a surprising announcement today, the NCAA revealed an unusual penalty targeting Texas A&M’s football recruiting efforts. Citing “underperforming results,” the NCAA has decided that any high school football player committing to the Aggies will have their recruiting ranking lowered by one star.

“In the ever-changing world of college sports, organizations like the NCAA must be flexible and responsive in their enforcement,” NCAA President Charlie Baker said in a statement this morning. “Considering the recent performance of this institution, we believe this is a fair course of action.”

When asked if this decision was based on any violations by Texas A&M, Baker avoided giving a direct answer, instead responding with, “You saw what happened with that whole 2022 situation, right? They had a bunch of five-stars, and look what happened there.”

When pressed further by reporters, Baker acknowledged that the Aggies hadn’t violated any specific rules but added that the “Conner Weigman situation was really strange,” referencing his drop in performance from 2023 to 2024. It remains unclear how Weigman’s career relates to any alleged violations.

When questioned about the NCAA’s authority over third-party recruiting services, Baker appeared puzzled at first, staying silent for a moment before answering, “I guess we have some control, right?” He then reportedly turned to his staff and asked, “Is this how it works? Am I wrong?”

At one point, Baker was shown a mock draft that listed former five-star recruit Shemar Stewart as a high first-round pick. After reviewing it for an extended period, he responded, “Okay, but have you seen the Yell Leaders? That’s just… not normal.”

“[H]ave you seen the Yell Leaders?”

NCAA President Charlie Baker

Confusion persists among Aggie fans and the broader college football community about this decision. It will likely fuel the growing belief among Aggie supporters that the NCAA plays favorites, with Texas A&M being excluded from that group.

An NCAA spokesperson addressed these concerns by stating there wasn’t an “official conspiracy” against A&M, but rather a “systematic effort by many institutions to hinder them.” The spokesperson clarified, “For it to be a conspiracy, there would have to be an official manifesto.”