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Nov 15, 2025; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies head coach Mike Elko reacts during the second quarter against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Mike Elko Downplays Halftime Speech Narrative

Originally posted on Texas A&M Aggies on SI
By Aaron Raley | Last updated Nov 18, 2025 6:52 PM ET

There has been a common theme for the Texas A&M Aggies throughout their 10-0 start to the 2025 season, at least during conference play.

In the first half of games, it seems that the Aggies may finally taste defeat, with the other team keeping the game close through 30 minutes, only for the Maroon and White to come out and play like an NFL-level team and take the win.

Many believe that it's because of head coach Mike Elko and some sort of magic worked in at halftime, and maybe it is, but Elko isn't budging on any secrets if there are any.

"We Won That Game Six Months Ago"

In his postgame press conference after the team's incredible 27-point comeback over the South Carolina Gamecocks last Saturday, the head coach quickly debunked any thoughts of any spectacular halftime speech that many believe take place.

Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

"This speech, I'm sure, will come out at halftime and everyone thinks this is some amazing speech at halftime, it's not," Elko said Monday afternoon. "We won that game six months ago with what we did in the winter."

Elko went on to explain that whatever happens in the second half is because of the players, and that whatever he does at halftime has little to no effect.

"We didn't win that game because I went in at halftime and said something," Elko said. "We built a culture, we built a character, and we built a commitment to doing things the way we want to them back in January and February. It's my job to be calm and collected when they're frantic, and my job is to create intensity when they're not intense. My job is to always be opposite at the moment."

"I'm the 48-year-old guy who is supposed to see this thing with clear eyes. They're the 18 to 21-year-old kids who get emotional."

Whatever happened at halftime truly worked its magic last Saturday, with Texas A&M coming back from a 30-3 deficit to score 28 unanswered points and shut out the Gamecocks during the second half to take a 31-30 victory to remain undefeated in 2025.

And even before that game, the Aggies were down 18-14 at halftime to the LSU Tigers in Baton Rouge last month before scoring 35 unanswered points to take a blowout 49-25 win.

While only up 7-3 at half over the Mississippi State Bulldogs, the Aggies started laying it on in the second half, outscoring their opposition 24-6 in the second half to take a 31-9 victory.

So, while cinematics has given us plenty of legendary halftime speeches sure to fire one up, such as the "leave no doubt" line from Remember the Titans, or the "perfect" talk during Friday Night Lights, Mike Elko simply attributes the elite second half plays to the new winning culture that the Aggies have built since Elko was named the head coach before the 2024 season.

The Aggies will look to keep their perfect season alive as they host the Samford Bulldogs Saturday morning at 11:00 AM.

This article first appeared on Texas A&M Aggies on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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