Mike Elko‘s Texas A&M heads into fall 2025 with hopes of breaking the “Texas 8-4” curse, but early projections aren’t buying it. Although the Aggies’ lighter home slate and brutal road stretch have fans cautiously optimistic, yet preseason buzz remains lukewarm. And Parker Fleming’s latest stats peg them at, yep, eight wins. A number that would keep that dreaded nickname alive. Interestingly, it’s only a projection, but if it holds, it’s déjà vu in College Station. And now, another curse looms on the horizon.

“I don’t think you can quantify how challenging year one truly is,” said Elko, stressing the grind of building culture, scheme, and habits from scratch. Although he wouldn’t give a win total, he set the bar: clear growth from Year 1 to Year 2. Still, that confidence collides with All-SEC team projections, which drop the Aggies from SEC title contention to eighth place. And now, the AP Preseason Poll projection has left them out of the top 25 entirely. But the bigger concern?

A familiar script could play out again in 2025. Look, early polling slots Texas A&M at No. 26 in the AP preseason rankings. But CFB Kings notes the Aggies have earned a preseason spot every year for the past six seasons, yet only once (2020) have they finished ranked. So, in the other five years? Unranked when it mattered most. Now the question looms: will 2025 break the cycle, or will the Aggies once again fade from the hype?

Here’s the thing: Year 2 under Mike Elko comes with SEC-level scrutiny; fair or not. The Aggies bring back experience and firepower, with redshirt sophomore QB Marcel Reed. Then all five O-line starters return, paving the way for a deep backfield led by Le’Veon Moss and backed by EJ Smith, Reuben Owens, and Amari Daniels. Although newcomers KC Concepcion and Jonah Wilson aim to spark a WR resurgence. But the real strength could be on defense. Now, with DC Lyle Hemphill on board, safety Bryce Anderson looks to bounce back, and a revamped CB unit could turn the secondary into a strength. So, where did they go wrong?

Well, Mike Elko’s biggest concern heading into 2025 is avoiding another late-season collapse, with his “finish the drill” mantra aimed at keeping the Aggies consistent from start to finish. On top of that, depth at defensive tackle also looms as a worry, with super-senior Albert Regis and transfer Tyler Onyedim leading the way but limited proven backups behind them. Now, while more progress could help Mike Elko end their six-year challenge, he isn’t focused on Texas A&M’s outside expectations.

Mike Elko’s next move

Mike Elko’s debut season started hot. After a tough opener against eventual CFP runner-up Notre Dame, the Aggies ripped off seven straight wins; five in SEC play to sit at 7-1 and atop the league. But a 44-20 beat down at South Carolina sparked a late collapse, with A&M dropping three of its last four, the lone win coming against New Mexico State. Although the Holiday Bowl nearly salvaged things, a blown lead in the final two minutes sealed the sting. And that stumble has the Aggies entering 2025 underrated. Following that, a label Elko addressed this week, brushing off talk of his team “flying under the radar.” But Elko isn’t sweating it.

“Honestly, I don’t care,” stated Elko. “If the expectations are there, we’ve got to go out and perform. If we’re flying under the radar we’ve got to go out and perform. I know what this team is capable of, and so we plan on going out and doing the things we want to do.” So, it’s a blunt message from a coach unfazed by hype or doubt; Elko’s focus is simple: let the scoreboard do the talking. However, he wasn’t done there.

“If you told me last year we’d be first in the SEC going into November and still leave everyone disappointed, you’d have said, ‘No way.'” reminded Elko. “We were the last undefeated team in the SEC… but we didn’t finish the job. Now, we’ve just got to go play.” It’s a sharp reflection and a clear mission; start strong, finish stronger.