COLUMBIA, Mo. — Mike Elko prefers not to dwell on the past, so he’s doing everything in his power to concentrate on the present.
This Texas A&M squad differs from the one that ended last season on a four-game losing streak against Power 4 teams after an impressive 7-1 start. Currently, this Aggies team holds the No. 3 ranking and boasts a 9-0 record for the first time since 1992, and only the fifth time in the program’s history, following their 38-17 victory over Missouri on Saturday night.
Texas A&M stands as the sole team nationally with three road victories against opponents in the Associated Press rankings, including a win over now-No. 10 Notre Dame in South Bend. Having experienced what it demands to secure such wins on the road late in the season after last year’s challenges, Elko echoed a familiar sentiment.
«Is this our weekly last year question?» he inquired. «I don’t focus on the past. I recognize that this team has excelled on the road, winning four games away from home. We’re 4-0 this year on the road and only have one remaining, so if my math holds true, we’ll wrap up this year with a winning record.»
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During Texas A&M’s inaugural season in the SEC, they concluded with an 11-2 record as Johnny Manziel claimed the Heisman Trophy. However, in every subsequent season, the Aggies have settled for nine or fewer wins, with the least favorite number among fans being eight — as evidenced by five 8-5 finishes and one 8-4 season. Despite appearing in the AP top 10 in nine out of their 13 seasons in the conference, they have only finished the season ranked four times, including merely twice within the top 15.
On Saturday, the Aggies capped off a three-game road stretch, surviving a 45-42 shootout against Arkansas and then outlasting both LSU and Mizzou until their stadiums emptied.
They accomplished this by pressuring freshman quarterback Matt Zollers, who completed 7-of-22 passes for 77 yards and had a fumble that contributed to an A&M touchdown. They steadily chipped away at the Missouri defense, with Marcel Reed amassing 221 passing yards and two touchdowns, while only two passes exceeded 10 yards in length. Then, they continued to wear the Tigers down.
«I challenged them at halftime,» Elko remarked, expressing dissatisfaction with the defense allowing 207 rushing yards. «I challenged both sides of the ball — only one side responded — stating we needed to better control the line of scrimmage.»
Rueben Owens, who rushed for 102 yards and two touchdowns against Missouri, including a 57-yarder marking A&M’s longest run of the season, emphasized that one word encapsulates the Aggies’ focus moving forward.
«Finish,» he stated. «That was the keyword for spring. For fall camp. Finish. Last year, we fell short, so all week it has been finish, finish, finish.»
