Mike Elko Goes Off on Reporters for Negative Questions After Win vs. Auburn

The No. 9 Texas A&M Aggies got conference play off to a tremendous start Saturday night at Kyle Field against the Auburn Tigers, holding off a late charge from their opposition to take a 16-10 and move up to 4-0 for the first time since the 2016 season.

And as always, after any game, win or lose, Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko took questions from the Texas A&M media, explaining how the game went from a coaching standpoint, how certain players performed, input that you could really only get from a head coach.

However, after the rough win against Auburn, the coach wasn't exactly fond of the slate of questions he was getting after a big win, and he didn't hold back in showing it, either.

Elko Calls Out Media For Negative Tone

After being hit with a string of questions that pertained to the team's 13 penalties, the sloppiness of the offense, and even questioning the team's play-calling on a 3rd &1 play that saw quarterback Marcel Reed get intercepted, Elko was fed up with the pessimism, and he let the room hear it.

Texas A&M Aggies head coach Mike Elko stands on the sideline during the second quarter against the Auburn Tigers. — Sep 27, 2025; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies head coach Mike Elko stands on the sideline during the second quarter against the Auburn Tigers at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

"Does anyone want to ask a question about us being 4-0 for the first time since 2016, or how did the defense bounce back, or how about you held them to 176 yards on offense and you had five sacks and they were 0-for-12 on third down and 0-for-2 on fourth down and you got the return game going again?" Elko said. "I mean, I don't mean to sound like someone else, but my gosh, will you guys stop being so dreadful and gloomy?"

The response did draw a laugh from the A&M media room, and the rest of the press conference went on with some more lighthearted questions for the coach.

NEW: Mike Elko calls out the media and throws shade at LSU’s Brian Kelly 👀

“Does anyone want to ask a question about us being 4-0 for the first time since 2016... . I don’t mean to sound like someone else but my gosh would you guys stop being so dreadful and gloomy"

(via… pic.twitter.com/5KEXvGRzyM
— On3 (@On3sports) September 28, 2025

Elko wasn't calling out the media in a harsh way that was aimed towards them, given that Elko has a tremendous relationship with the team's media, it seemed that the A&M head honcho was simply wanting to keep the positivity up on Texas A&M's best start in nearly a decade, and overcome the disease of "Battered Aggie Syndrome" that has blanketed College Station for years.

Many reporters believe that when Elko said, "I'm not trying to sound like someone else," that he was referring to a similar incident with LSU head coach Brian Kelly a couple of weeks ago, who berated his own media after he was asked about his offenses' struggles after defeating the Florida Gators 20-10 after only scoring one touchdown.

"Stop. Really?" Kelly said. "Is that the first question? We won the game 20-10. Try another question. What do you want me to tell you? I just laid it out for you. We played the game to win the game."

Was he hinting at his former head coach? Maybe yes, maybe no, but the Aggies are 4-0 and likely heading to the top five of the AP Top 25 for the first time since 2021, and Elko wants to instill a more positive mindset in the Aggie fanbase as the team chases their goal of winning a national championship, and Elko can't be faulted for that.

The Aggies will host the Mississippi State Bulldogs next Saturday at Kyle Field, hoping to continue their impressive stretch to start the season.