Sep 13, 2025; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Texas A&M Aggies head coach Mike Elko celebrates after the game against Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Mike Elko Lets Texas A&M Fans Know That This Year is Different

Originally posted on Texas A&M Aggies on SI
By Jon Alfano | Last updated Sep 18, 2025 7:00 PM ET

It's been a long time since there's been this much optimism surrounding the Texas A&M Aggies, as they're now 3-0 and the No. 10 team in the AP Poll following their thrilling road win over the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in Week 3. However, not all fans are buying in just yet, in large part due to past shortcomings.

There's a phrase in the fanbase known as "Battered Aggie Syndrome," where fans are often hesitant to give into current hype to avoid getting their hopes up only to be let down again. Considering the Aggies have been a step below great for a while now, and many of their underwhelming finishes came after hot starts, it's not too hard to see where they're coming from.

However, head coach Mike Elko wants those fans to let go of the past and embrace the optimism.

Mike Elko Encourages Texas A&M Fans to Overcome 'Battered Aggie Syndrome'

While speaking at the Touchdown Club of Houston on Wednesday, Elko rejected the existence of "Battered Aggie Syndrome" while encouraging fans to open themselves up to optimism.

"I'm sorry, but I had nothing to do with the majority of it," Elko said. "I think the second part of it is this: you love Texas A&M, and you love Texas A&M football, so get excited. Stop being scared to get excited about this program and what this program is doing."

However, Elko also advised fans - and potentially his team to some extent - not to act overconfident amidst a hot start.

"We can be excited about who we are, what our program stands for, what our program is doing and know that there is going to be a rollercoaster through wins and losses and results," Elko said. "But that these kids will continue to fight every week to make you as proud as you possibly can, and that this thing will end at some point with us in Atlanta in the SEC Championship, in the playoffs and go where we want to go.

"It is not fair to look at past failures and eliminate your ability to get excited about where Texas A&M football is and where Texas A&M football is going. It is not a promise that this season is going to end perfectly, but I think it is just a calling to you to enjoy what we are going through, because there is a lot of fun happening with Texas A&M football right now."

After they come out of their Week 4 bye, the Aggies will jump into the heat of conference play, which still features three more road games against ranked opponents. However, there's no denying that their outlook is far more optimistic now than it has been in several years.

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

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