Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko didn’t hold back when explaining the message he delivered to his team during halftime — a speech that helped spark the greatest comeback in Aggies history.
Texas A&M entered the locker room trailing 30–3 against South Carolina, staring down what looked like a guaranteed first loss of the season. But instead, Elko’s squad responded with one of the most remarkable turnarounds ever seen at Kyle Field, rallying to defeat the Gamecocks 31–30 and move to 10–0.
After the game, Elko explained what he told his players at the break. His comments, shared by SEC analyst Michael Bratton on X, revealed the calm but confident tone he took with his team.
“We have an identity of who we are. If we play to that identity, we are a good football team.”
“The vibes were good, the kids believed we were going to win in the second half.”
Elko reiterated that message afterward, emphasizing that belief and composure fueled the comeback. Despite being dominated in the first half — where a lone first-quarter field goal from Randy Bond was Texas A&M’s only score — the Aggies didn’t panic.
Behind quarterback Marcel Reed, who led four second-half scoring drives and finished with three touchdown passes, Texas A&M exploded for 28 unanswered points. The Aggies posted three touchdowns in the third quarter, trimming the deficit to just six. Running back EJ Smith capped the rally early in the fourth with the go-ahead touchdown, while the defense completely shut down the Gamecocks for the rest of the afternoon.
Now sitting at 10–0 for the first time since 1992, the Aggies’ path to a perfect regular season is suddenly within reach. They close the year with a home matchup against Samford and a massive rivalry road trip to Texas. If both teams take care of business next week, the showdown in Austin could feature two top-10 teams.
With Elko’s message resonating and momentum fully in their favor, Texas A&M now stands just two wins away from another unforgettable chapter in program history. The only question left is simple:
Can the Aggies finish what they started?
