The Texas A&M Aggies are almost a week away from beginning their 2026 season against Missouri State but the program is already being hit with some unfortunate injury news. Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko met with the media on Thursday and announced that running back Tiger Riden Jr. and defensive tackle Chace Sims both suffered season-ending injuries and will miss the entire 2026 campaign.Riden appeared in five games as a true freshman last season, posting 11 carries for 45 yards and a touchdown across 78 total snaps. Sims did not appear in a game last year as a true freshman. It's unclear what exactly the injuries are or when they occurred, but it's certainly news that Texas A&M wanted to avoid as fall camp comes to a close. Tiger Riden's Absence Will Be Bigger Than Texas A&M Fans Might Expect Texas A&M Aggies head coach Mike Elko speaks to the press during SEC Football Kickoff Media Day at the Tampa Marriott. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectThe absence of Riden is particularly notable, as he was projected to serve as one of Texas A&M's goal-line running backs in heavy personnel sets. At 5-10, 220 pounds, he offers power that the Aggies don't quite have in this year's running back room. This was also set to limit some injury risk for Rueben Owens II or Jamarion Morrow, who could sub out for Riden once the Aggies got inside the five-yard line.But now, Texas A&M will be asking more of its running backs this season, at least when it comes to punching it in at the goal-line.This is a breaking news article and will be updated accordingly.Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram for the latest news.Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow