You're missing the entire point of national rankings, which are about projecting the best teams, not scheduling logistics. Texas A&M stays at 10 because their roster, loaded with five-stars and high-end portal additions, is built to compete in that brutal SEC slate. That's the whole idea. For a program like Austin Peay, the conversation is different because we're talking about ceiling. A top 25 team's trajectory is about competing for championships, which requires elite tlaent. Your strength of schedule is a factor in your win-loss record, sure, but it doesn't change your program's potential on a national scale. The media ranks based on who can win the biggest games in November and January, and that always comes back to the croots. You can't ignore the 247 composite. A&M's class rankings and portal haul mean they're built for their schedule. Austin Peay's challenges are real, but they don't move the needle in the national picture because the gap in raw talent is the story. The obsession with stars exists because, at the highest level, they translate. You think A&M's staff isn't accounting for that SEC schedule when they build their roster? That's the entire plan.