The first season of the Mike Elko era at Texas A&M got off to a great start following a season-opening loss eventual College Football Playoff runner-ups Notre Dame, as it won its next seven games (including all five SEC games) to open the season 7-1. The Aggies were the last remaining undefeated team in SEC […]
The first season of the Mike Elko era at Texas A&M got off to a great start following a season-opening loss eventual College Football Playoff runner-ups Notre Dame, as it won its next seven games (including all five SEC games) to open the season 7-1. The Aggies were the last remaining undefeated team in SEC play until it got drummed at South Carolina 44-20 on Nov. 2.
The blowout loss to the Gamecocks sent A&M on a bit of a spiral, as it lost three of its final four games (with its lone win being against New Mexico State) to end the season. It almost salvaged the year with a win over USC in the Holiday Bowl, but it surrendered its lead with just under two minutes remaining and was not able to pull off the win.
Because of this rough end to the season, it seems as if Texas A&M is heading into the 2025 season a bit underrated. Elko reacted to claims that the Aggies were ‘flying under the radar‘ entering this season earlier this week.
Elko doesn’t care about Texas A&M’s expectations
“Honestly I don’t care,” Elko said. “If the expectations are there we’ve got to go out and perform. If we’re flying under the radar we’ve got to go out and perform. I know what this team is capable of and so we plan on going out and doing the things we want to do.”
“I think if last year at this time I would’ve stood on this podium and told you we’re going to be first place in the SEC going into November and not finish the job and everyone’s gonna be disappointed about it, you would have been like ‘no we won’t. There’s no way you’ll be the last undefeated team in the SEC.’ So, we’ve got to go play. That’s what we’ve got to go do.”
Texas A&M plays the 14th hardest schedule in all of college football this season according to Phil Steele. This includes home games against South Carolina, Florida and Auburn, while it travels to Notre Dame and SEC juggernauts Texas and LSU. The Aggies haven’t won 10 games in a season since 2012, when they ere led by Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Johnny Manziel.
Their season opens on a lighter note this season however, as it will host UTSA and Utah State in back-to-back home games before traveling to Notre Dame on Sept. 13. A&M’s season opener against UTSA is scheduled to kick-off at 7:00 PM on ESPN on Aug. 30.
Category: General Sports
