Texas A&M kicker David Olano named to On3 Midseason All-America first team

Texas A&M kicker David Olano has been named to the first team of On3's 2026 Midseason All-America list. He was the only Aggie selected, a fair summary of a season in which the leg has been more dependable than the offense that sets it up.

The Illinois transfer has made all 11 of his field-goal attempts and all 24 of his extra points, according to Aggie Yell, On3's Texas A&M site. Four of those field goals came from 50 yards or longer. On3's Low put Olano ahead of Clemson's Nolan Hauser for the first-team spot and wrote that Olano "has delivered every time he's been called upon." Aggies Wire reports that he is the only FBS kicker who has not missed from 50 yards or beyond this season. The honor follows his selection, along with senior punter Tyler White, to the AP midseason All-America team last week.

His best day came in the 34-7 win over Arkansas, still the Aggies' only SEC victory. Olano made a 57-yarder that day, the longest by an A&M kicker since Terence Kitchens hit from 62 against Southern Miss in 1999 and the ninth-longest in program history. He added another kick from 50-plus in the same game and was named SEC Special Teams Player of the Week. Aggie Yell notes he has also made 50-yard kicks in two other conference games.

The selection gives a 4-3 team something to point to. Texas A&M is 1-3 in SEC play, and it lost 31-21 at home to Kentucky before scoring only six points in each of its road losses at No. 10 LSU and No. 14 Missouri. When drives stall, Olano's range keeps points on the board. In those two road games, his kicks may have been the only points the Aggies scored.

What it means at Alabama

The Aggies are coming off a 41-0 win over The Citadel. Their next trip is to No. 13 Alabama on Saturday, Oct. 24 (ABC), and their last two SEC road games ended 35-6 and 27-6. Alabama is clearly favored. On this site's board, which tracks 12 venues, Novig has the Crimson Tide at -525 on the moneyline and Texas A&M at +488. The best price anywhere on the Aggies is +510 at Polymarket, so the venues are close on who wins.

The spread is just as settled. Novig has Alabama -13.5 at -113, and the best price on that number is -109 at Pinnacle. Novig prices Texas A&M +13.5 at +106, and BetRivers offers a full extra point, +14.5 at -122. Sportsbook hold on the spread runs from 3.8% to 6.7%. The total is 50.5 at Novig, with the over at -104 and the under at -108, while BetRivers sits at 50.

That total is well above anything Texas A&M has produced on the road in the SEC this year. For the Aggies to stay within two touchdowns, the offense will need to reach the red zone more often than it did in Baton Rouge or Columbia. If it gets close but stalls, the All-American is the most reliable scorer they have.