Analyst Expects Texas A&M to 'Punch Up' In Year 1 Under Mike Elko

Texas A&M might not have College Football Playoff expectations, but they can still make some noise in the SEC.

Sep 16, 2023; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies quarterback Conner Weigman (15) attempts a pass during the first quarter against the Louisiana Monroe Warhawks at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports / Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

There is a new air of confidence in College Station.

After six years of futility under Jimbo Fisher, the Texas A&M Aggies are entering Year 1 of the Mike Elko era, complete with a new coaching staff, a new-look roster, and a new sense of momentum behind them.

The transition has gone so well, in fact, that the Aggies are now fixtures among preseason top 25 ranking projections, and have gained some serious traction as potential spoilers in the SEC in the eyes of many.

Recently, ESPN's Greg McElroy was the latest to praise the Aggies and their quick turnaround under Elko during an episode of Always College Football.

“I don’t think Mike Elko right now is expected to do a whole lot in year one. Now, I happen to think they’re a very dangerous team this year," McElroy said. "I'm not picking them to make the playoff, not picking them to challenge for the SEC Championship. But I would be shocked if A&M didn’t knock off a contender this year. I think they’re going to beat someone that you don’t expect them to beat. That’s what you can expect from Mike Elko. His teams punched up at Duke and I think they’ll punch up at Texas A&M as well.”

So who could that contender be that the Aggies knock off? Based on their schedule right now, there are only four candidates: Notre Dame in Week 1, Missouri on October 5, LSU on October 26, and Texas on November 30.

Last month, we took a stab at predicting the Aggies schedule game-by-game, and out of those four contests, we had Texas A&M coming out on top vs. the Irish, and falling to the other three 'contending' candidates, and finishing the season 9-3.

That said, they will have every opportunity to win in each of those four outings - especially considering the fact that all four of them come in Aggieland.

Either way, it appears that Elko has A&M in position to be an extremely dangerous team for anyone to face in 2024, and potentially play spoiler to multiple contenders for the SEC crown.