Mike Elko Has Been Disrespected By A National Outlet Once Again

In just his second season as the head coach of the Texas A&M Aggies, Mike Elko led the team to an 11-2 record and the program's first-ever College Football Playoff appearance.

It was quite the step up from year one, which saw them go a modest 8-5, and it ended up being the program's best season since 2012. With the Aggies looking to build off the special season, while also avenging their home loss in the opening round of the College Football Playoff, they also had a massive offseason.

They signed the No. 10 recruiting class, and the No. 12 transfer portal class. Despite Elko seemingly putting the program on a path to title contention, The Athletic's Stewart Mandel's recent rankings of the top college football coaches didn't seem particularly moved by his success.

Mike Elko's shockingly low ranking in the coaches power rankings

Texas A&M Aggies head coach Mike Elko. — Texas A&M Aggies head coach Mike Elko hugs Texas A&M Aggies wide receiver KC Concepcion (7). | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

While some may think that this has to do more with other coaches having stronger pasts, Mandel specifically says it doesn't and is focused on the trajectory he forsees them being on.

"While I don’t throw out a coach’s earlier accomplishments, I’m more concerned with their trajectory over the past three to five seasons," Mandel wrote.

With this in mind, Mandel had Elko as the No. 18 coach in college football.

The dynamic of college football has shifted so much just in the past five years with NIL and the transfer portal.

As a result, coaching has become a top priority.

Here's our top 25 power rankings for coaches — a snapshot of the coaching landscape today. pic.twitter.com/SFRh9go9Qn
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) March 12, 2026

He didn't explicitly say why Elko was below names like Josh Heupel (Tennessee), Willie Fritz (Houston) or Clark Lea (Vanderbilt), but did highlight all he has done.

"In just his second season in College Station, Elko led the Aggies to their first Playoff appearance and first 11-win season since Johnny Manziel’s Heisman season," wrote Mandel. "This is after he elevated Duke during two seasons there. Behind the longtime defensive coordinator, A&M led the country in third-down defense and was No. 2 in sacks per game.

While Mandel isn't as high on Elko, Bruce Feldman had Elko going from unranked in his 2025 list to No. 10 in college football heading into 2026.

"The Aggies have underachieved for much of the past few generations, but with Elko in College Station, it feels like those days of disappointment for a program with enormous resources might be over," wrote Feldman.

Although Elko is on an upward trajectory, the Aggies will be tested quite a bit in 2026. Not only do they play LSU on the road at the end of September, but they will finish the season against presumed top 25 teams Tennessee, Oklahoma and Texas.

The true sign of Elko being among the sport's best coaches is reliant on how he builds off his success, and he will have plenty of statement opportunities next year.