Texas A&M's Elko Addresses Strength of Schedule Concerns

Aggies head coach Mike Elko responds to critics of his team's 2025 schedule and previews the challenging 2026 slate.

Apr. 17, 2026 at 8:07pm

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting fragmented and overlapping scenes of a college football game, with players and field elements broken down into sharp, angular shapes in a vibrant color palette of maroon, orange, and navy blue.Coach Elko's comments about the Aggies' challenging 2026 schedule set the stage for an intriguing season ahead.College Station Today

Texas A&M Aggies head coach Mike Elko addressed concerns about the strength of his team's schedule, noting that critics questioned the difficulty of the 2025 slate before the season, only to later claim the Aggies didn't play anyone. Elko said he wants to record the current conversation so he can reference it when similar criticisms arise about the 2026 schedule, which features road games against LSU, Alabama, and Oklahoma, as well as home matchups with Tennessee and Texas.

Why it matters

Texas A&M's strength of schedule has been a point of contention, with the Aggies facing criticism for an easy slate one year and a difficult one the next. Elko's comments highlight the shifting narratives around the team's schedule and his desire to proactively address any future concerns.

The details

In a recent interview, Elko discussed the Aggies' 2026 schedule, which includes road games against LSU, Alabama, and Oklahoma, as well as home matchups with Tennessee and Texas. Elko said he wants to record the current conversation so he can reference it when similar criticisms arise about the difficulty of the 2026 schedule, noting that critics questioned the Aggies' 2025 schedule before the season, only to later claim the team didn't play anyone.

  • The Texas A&M Aggies' Maroon and White spring game is set for this weekend.
  • The Aggies are entering Year 3 of the Mike Elko era in College Station.

The players

Mike Elko

The head coach of the Texas A&M Aggies football team.

Texas A&M Aggies

The college football team that competes in the Southeastern Conference.

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What they’re saying

“Here's what I want to do. I want to record this conversation so that next year, in November, when you guys are talking about how easy my schedule is, I want to be able to come back to it.”

— Mike Elko, Head Coach, Texas A&M Aggies

The takeaway

Elko's comments highlight the shifting narratives around Texas A&M's schedule, with the Aggies facing criticism for an easy slate one year and a difficult one the next. The coach's desire to proactively address future schedule concerns suggests he is focused on building a program that can succeed against any level of competition.