A&M is one of four Big 12 teams that appear in the list, joining Baylor (No. 12), Kansas (No. 13) and Missouri (No. 25).
The 2011-12 schedule will offer numerous challenges, as the Aggies could play eight games against teams ranked in the poll. Along with six against the three Big 12 foes, A&M will meet No. 10 Florida on Dec. 17 in the MetroPCS Orange Bowl Classic in Sunrise, Fla., and has a chance to face No. 16 Arizona in the finals of the 2K Sports Classic on Nov. 18 in New York City.
New head coach Billy Kennedy welcomes back 10 lettermen and three starters-led by preseason All-Big 12 pick Khris Middleton. The Aggies are coming off a 24-win season and their sixth straight NCAA appearance-one of 12 schools nationally that have accomplished the feat.
Fans can get their first look at this year's squad this Friday with the annual Maroon and White Scrimmage at Reed Arena. Admission is free and tip time is 5:30 p.m. to allow fans time to attend the Aggie soccer team's game against Oklahoma across the street later that evening.
Texas A&M will play 19 games at Reed Arena this year, and season tickets are available for as low as $200 by calling 888-99-AGGIE or by logging on to aggieathletics.com. The Aggies will play Dallas Baptist in a Nov. 3 exhibition game before opening the year against Liberty on Nov. 9.
USA Today/ESPN Top 25 Coaches Poll (Oct. 20, 2011 - Preseason)
Rank  Team (1st)      2010 Record  Points Final 10-11 Rk
1.        North Carolina (30)  29-8    774     8
2.        Kentucky (1)  29-9    721     3
3.        Ohio State      34-3    702     5
4.        Connecticut   32-9    655     1
5.        Syracuse        27-8    649     18
6.        Duke  32-5    635     7
7.        Vanderbilt     23-11  567     NR
8.        Louisville       25-10  514     22
9.        Memphis        25-10  482     NR
10.      Florida           29-8    474     10
11.      Pittsburgh      28-6    471     12
12.      Baylor            18-13  358     NR
13.      Kansas           35-3    331     4
14.      Wisconsin      25-9    313     15
15.      Xavier            24-8    277     NR
16.      Arizona         30-8    269     9
17.      Alabama        24-11  194     NR
18.      Michigan       21-14  187     NR
19.      Texas A&M   24-9    161     NR
20.      UCLA            23-11  147     NR
21.      Marquette      22-15  145     20
22.      Cincinnati      26-9    141     NR
23.      Gonzaga        25-10  125     NR
24.      California      18-15  111     NR
25.      Missouri         23-11  110     NR
Others receiving votes: Florida State (23-11) 108; Texas (28-8) 107; Michigan State (19-15) 73; Temple (26-8) 59; Washington (24-11) 29; Butler (28-10) 25; New Mexico (22-13) 22; Creighton (23-16) 19; Villanova (21-12) 18; Purdue (26-8) 17; UNLV (24-9) 16; West Virginia (21-12) 13; George Mason (27-7) 12; Mississippi State (17-14) 11; St. John's (21-12) 11; Saint Mary's (25-9) 5; Virginia (16-15) 5; Virginia Commonwealth (28-12) 4; Drexel (21-10) 2; Kansas State (23-11) 2; Long Beach State (22-12) 2; Brigham Young (32-5) 1; Notre Dame (27-7) 1.