Tag: Mike Elko

Despite his slip of the tongue, Texas A&M HC Mike Elko is focused on facing Auburn

Mike Elko’s slight slip of the tongue was just that. The Aggies are 100% focused on the Auburn Tigers.

Texas A&M (8-2, 5-1) is playing meaningful football in November for the first time since the 2020 season under first-year head coach Mike Elko, as the Aggies face the daunting task of needing to win the last two games of the season to earn a spot in the SEC Title game, with a shot at making the College Football Playoff.

After defeating New Mexico State 38-3 on Saturday night, Texas A&M’s offense made some strides in the passing game, but all in all, defeating a now 2-8 team doesn’t move the needle aside from earning the team’s eighth win of the season.

Now set to face the Auburn Tigers (4-6, 1-5 SEC) on the road for a night game inside Jordan-Hare Stadium, Elko and his team are 100% focused on the task at hand, even though some in the media would like to twist the meaning behind a simple slip of the tongue after answering a question regarding the Texas matchup.

“When you’re in the situation we’re in, it’s easy to focus on the task at hand. You know, I think those big games earlier in the year, maybe you look ahead, and if we didn’t have what’s at stake, maybe you would worry about it.”

“Our focus is single-handedly on Texas…I mean Auburn right now and locked in on what needs to get done.”

While this quote could be used as bulletin board material for the Tigers, It’s fair to note that the Texas Longhorns should cheer for the Aggies this weekend to make the Nov. 30 matchup even more meaningful from a resume standpoint.

Texas A&M will face Auburn on the road on Saturday, Nov. 23 at 6:30 pm. CT. The game will air on ESPN.

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‘South Carolina doesn’t help us get ready for Auburn,’ per Aggies football coach Mike Elko

“Showing them South Carolina doesn’t help us get ready for Auburn much, but this is a really talented rushing group,” Mike Elko said Monday.

The last time that the Texas A&M football team suited up in SEC competition, the Aggies suffered their first conference loss of the year, but that didn’t phase head coach Mike Elko.

Texas A&M was upset 44-20 at South Carolina on Nov. 2. Following their second bye and a 38-3 non-conference victory versus New Mexico State on Saturday night at Kyle Field, the No. 14 Aggies (8-2, 5-1 SEC) travel for the final time this campaign to face Auburn.

“Showing them South Carolina doesn’t help us get ready for Auburn much, but this is a really talented rushing group,” Elko said Monday. “How we control the line of scrimmage, set edges and keep the ball contained in the box is going to be really, really important for us and our success.”

Texas A&M plays the Tigers (4-6, 1-5) in its penultimate regular season contest at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday. The matchup at Jordan-Hare Stadium will be broadcast on ESPN.

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Texas A&M vs Texas in Week 14: Channel, time, location info

The renewed football rivalry between Texas A&M vs Texas has it’s official start time

Two games are left in SEC play for No. 15 Texas A&M with Auburn on Nov. 23 and No. 3 Texas to close out the regular season. If both the Aggies and Longhorns can win their next game, it will set up the season finale as the game of the week.

It’s only fitting that after a decade of internet banter A&M and Texas will finally be able to hash it out on the field with all the marbles on the line. On paper, both teams should be 6-1 in the conference with the winner in line to play for an SEC title. Every game left for the Aggies is a must-win and Nov. 30 has the potential to be the most-watched college football game this year.

First-year head coach Mike Elko has already met expectations in the eyes of many by winning eight games. But if he can take A&M into the final week of the regular season with a chance to secure a SEC title and playoff berth there needs to be serious consideration for him as Coach of the Year.

Below you can find the Channel, time, and location info for the game against Texas:

Date: Nov. 30

Where: Kyle Field / Bryan-College Station, TX

Time: 6:30 pm CST

Station: ABC

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Texas A&M rises in newest Football Power Index rankings

Texas A&M has risen one spot in the newest ESPN FPI rankings after Week 12.

Texas A&M (8-2, 5-1 SEC) and first-year head coach Mike Elko have continued to defy preseason expectations. The Aggies are two wins away from reaching the SEC Championship Game for the first time in program history, but that’s a tall task with a road trip to Auburn and the season finale home test vs. Texas left on the schedule.

After defeating New Mexico State 38-3, Texas A&M’s offense made some strides in the passing game, while redshirt freshman quarterback Marcel Reed finished 20/31 for 286 yards and two touchdowns, rushing for another score.

Defensively, junior DL Malick Sylla, in just his second statistical appearance this season, recorded a game-high two sacks and three tackles for loss. At the same time, sophomore DL Rylan Kennedy earned the highest defensive Pro Football Focus score.

Ahead of facing Auburn, ESPN’s Football Power Index update saw the Aggies rise one spot, while the Auburn Tigers and Florida Gators also rose in the rankings.

Texas A&M football’s FPI ranking, rating

According to ESPN’s Football Power Index, Texas A&M rose to No. 14 after defeating New Mexico State, with a 14.4 FPI rating, the seventh-highest among SEC teams. The Aggies are projected to win 8.8 games and have a 2.8% chance of winning out. Sitting at 8-2 and 5-1, A&M currently has a 12.5% chance of making the playoffs and a 1.1% chance of making the National Championship game.

SEC team in FPI

The top-ranked SEC teams in the upper echelon of the rankings include Texas (26.7), followed by Alabama (2nd, 26.6), Georgia (23.0) at 5th, Ole Miss (22.4) at 6th, and Tennessee (19.3) in the 9th spot.

South Carolina rose one spot (14.5) after defeating Missouri, while LSU (13.1) dropped three spots after falling to Florida on the road in a College Football Playoff elimination game. Here is the rest of the SEC rankings:

  • Missouri (24th, 11.0)
  • Florida (26th, 10.5)
  • Oklahoma (27th, 10.3)
  • Auburn (28th, 9.1)
  • Arkansas (32nd, 8.3)
  • Vanderbilt (38th, 6.6)
  • Mississippi State (69th, -0.0)

Texas A&M will face Auburn on the road on Saturday, Nov. 23 at 6:30 pm. CT. The game will air on ESPN.

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Should Texas A&M QB Conner Wegiman head to the transfer portal this offseason?

It might be time for a fresh start somewhere else for the redshirt sophomore If Marcel Reed is indeed the future starter

Texas A&M (8-2, 5-1 SEC) entered Week 12 without a quarterback controversy for the first time this season, knowing the redshirt freshman Marcel Reed will remain the starter for the remainder of the year.

In his 5th overall and second consecutive start, Reed looked better in the pocket, completing 20/31 for 286 yards and two touchdowns, including a rushing touchdown, before hitting the bench early in the second half.

Redshirt sophomore quarterback Conner Weigman, who entered the 2024 season as A&M’s starter, has been relegated to the primary backup spot after his poor showing during the first half of the Aggies’ 38-23 win over LSU. Weigman’s appearance was short-lived, completing 2/5 for 37 yards and an interception before being replaced by freshman QB Miles O’Neill.

After his first snaps in over three weeks, Aggie fans and those in the media questioned Weigman’s sudden decline, especially after his shoulder injury that kept him out of the lineup during the first half of the season.

Weigman’s excellent start during A&M’s 41-10 win over Missouri solidified his standing as the starter. However, an average showing against Mississippi State might have been the first sign of a disappointing season for the former 5-star prospect.

Weigman’s future with the program has certainly become a talking point, as Marcel Reed and O’Neill look like the future options under center, especially after the news that 2025 5-star QB Husan Longstreet has flipped to USC. While it’s fully possible that he could compete next season for the starting job, Reed looks like the better fit in OC Collin Klein’s offensive scheme.

Right now, entering the transfer portal looks like the best option to pursue a fresh start, but this is all speculation based on the future of the postion under head coach Mike Elko.

Weigman is still talented and may need more time to heal if his shoulder is still an issue so he can get back to playing at full strength. For the Aggies, quarterback depth was a longstanding issue under former head coach Jimbo Fisher, but the tides have likely turned under Elko’s guidance.

Regardless of Conner Weigman’s decision, I can safely say that Aggie fans will cheer him on.

Texas A&M will face Auburn on the road on Saturday, Nov. 23 at 6:30 pm. CT. The game will air on ESPN.

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Texas A&M vs Auburn in Week 13: Channel, time, location info

Texas A&M will go for win number nine when they travel to Alabama to take on the Auburn Tigers

Over the last two games, Texas A&M has not played the best football, going 1-1 but still maintaining its share of the top spot in the SEC.

There are two games left on the schedule, and the Aggies have to win out, too, if they want a chance at an SEC title and a college football playoff spot. First, they have to get by a scrappy Auburn Tigers team that will be looking to play spoiler at home.

If the A&M defense can limit the missed tackles and clean up the penalties, this should be a solid SEC road win.

That said, we have all witnessed how chaotic the SEC can get from week to week, and what head coach Mike Elko has been preaching rings true now more than ever. There is no room for error going forward if they want to reach the heights they can.

Date: Nov. 23

Where: Jordan-Hare Stadium / Auburn, Alabama

Time: 6:30 pm CST

Station: ESPN

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Here are the best photos from Texas A&M’s big home win over New Mexico State

Here are some of the best photos from Texas A&M’s 38-3 win over New Mexico State

Senior night was a success at Kyle Field, with Texas A&M beating New Mexico State 38-3 in front of a packed crowd.

It’s hard to be upset about a 35-point win, especially on Military Appreciation/Senior Night. However, through a coach’s lens, this game had a few issues that the offense needs to address before they take on Auburn next weekend. The running game behind Amari Daniels is a little concerning, and both quarterbacks continue to miss open receivers deep.

The defense looked much better and put pressure on New Mexico State. It wasn’t a complete walk in the park, as they did allow over 100 yards rushing and did not force any turnovers. On the flip side, they only gave up 92 passing yards and logged 10 TFLs with two sacks.

A&M worked out a few things Saturday night to help clean up OC Collin Klein’s play calling and possible personal packages to close out SEC play. Below are some of the best photos from the game.

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Texas A&M head coach proclaims he’s ‘not trying to be the best Mike Elko football program’

“The thing that makes me unique is I’m not trying to be the best Mike Elko football program, I’m trying to build the best football program.”

During a recent interview on the Aggie Football Hour, Texas A&M coach Mike Elko discussed brands in college football and how he differs from the pack.

“The thing that makes me a little bit unique is I’m not trying to be the best Mike Elko football program,” Elko said this week. “I’m trying to build the best football program at Texas A&M.”

Elko is very wise with his words, never taking direct shots at his peers or anyone, but he does a great job alluding to others. In the 37-plus minute conversation with Andrew Monaco, Elko may have been referring to LSU head coach Brian Kelly, who has certainly built his own personal brand.

A key example of Kelly’s brand recognition was suddenly having a southern accent after he departed from Notre Dame and arrived in the bayou. Meanwhile, Elko has remained the same dude regardless of where he is.

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‘Nobody wants to see that’ Texas A&M HC Mike Elko reflects on Le’Veon Moss’s injury

Texas A&M HC Mike Elko recently reflected on star running back Le’Veon Moss’s season-ending injury

Texas A&M (7-2, 5-1 SEC) will host New Mexico State on Saturday night after the Aggies’ Week 11 bye week, knowing that their path to the College Football Playoff hinges on winning their final three regular-season games.

After facing the Aggies, which looks like a blowout win on paper, A&M will head to Auburn for a tough road test next weekend. The regular season finale vs. Texas looks like the toughest game on the schedule for both teams.

However, starting on Saturday, the Aggies will be without star running back Le’Veon Moss for the rest of the year.

On Wednesday, during the weekly Aggie Football Hour, head coach Mike Elko discussed Moss’s injury and the impact it’s already had on A&M’s now thin running back room, with Amari Daniels and EJ Smith being the only scholarship back on the roster:

“Nobody wants to see that. When you see a kid who has worked as hard as he’s worked, put in everything he’s done, to have the season that he was having, and now to have to deal with the adversity of coming back from that injury, you hate it for him.”

Before his injury, Moss had an All-SEC-level season, finishing with 765 yards and ten touchdowns on the ground, averaging 6.3 yards per carry.

According to Elko, Moss completed his unspecified lower leg procedure as of Wednesday morning.

No. 15 Texas A&M will host New Mexico State on Saturday, Nov. 16. The game will air on SEC Network at 6:45 p.m. CT.

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Texas A&M’s uniform combination vs. New Mexico State has been revealed

Here is Texas A&M’s uniform combination ahead of facing New Mexico State on Saturday night

Texas A&M (7-2, 5-1 SEC) will host New Mexico State on Saturday night for what many of us consider a “get right” game after the Aggies’ Week 11 bye week, but it was the 44-20 loss at South Carolina has kicked A&M out of the good favor of the CFP selection committee.

Texas A&M’s road to the playoffs and the SEC Championship Game is clear: Win out, and everything will take care of itself. However, the obstacles include a road test vs. Auburn and the season finale vs. Texas, who could end up being the No. 1-ranked team in the country.

Either way, head coach Mike Elko is confident his team is ready to respond to the South Carolina loss after two consecutive weeks of solid practice. For entertainment reasons, Texas A&M’s uniform combination vs. the Aggies was a no-brainer.

The Texas A&M Aggies will wear the all-maroon look for the second time this season. They first wore the combination during the early October win against Missouri. Here’s a video from Texas A&M’s media team revealing the uniform:

No. 15 Texas A&M will host New Mexico State on Saturday, Nov. 16. The game will air on SEC Network at 6:45 p.m. CT.

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