aggieswire
Where is Mike Elko ranked in the USA TODAY SEC head coach rankings? Texas A&M's 2026 season is just eight weeks away, as the Aggies will kick off the new campaign against Missouri State on Saturday, Sept.
5, and after leading the program to its first appearance in the College Football Playoff, Mike Elko enters his third season at the helm with even higher expectations after signing his six-year extension back in November.
After a record 10 players were selected in the 2026 NFL Draft, Elko and his staff landed 17 additions from the transfer portal, with more than half coming on defense, while former Alabama wide receiver Isaiah Horton stands out due to his 6'4" frame and ability to stretch the field, providing starting quarterback Marcel Reed much-needed size and a reliable red zone target.
After losing unanimous All-American edge Cashius Howell, who led the SEC with 11.5 sacks last season, the hope is that rising sophomore Marco Jones and Northwestern transfer edge Anto Saka provide stability to the pass rush that will yet again require a collective effort to match last season's production.
Mike Elko has earned the national praise that's come his way this offseason, but compared to the other 15 SEC head coaches, nearly every college football analyst has placed the New Jersey native in the top 5, while USA TODAY's Blake Toppemeyer placed Elko 6th behind Josh Heupel (Tennessee), Lane Kiffin (LSU), Kalen DeBoer (Alabama), Steve Sarkisian (Texas), and, at a deserving No.
1, Georgia coach Kirby Smart.
"Elko needed just two seasons to take Texas A&M to the playoff.
By early November, the Aggies had an argument for being the nations best team.
That unraveled after a scare from South Carolina, followed by losses to Texas and to Miami in the CFPs first round.
Still, the Aggies momentum is palpable.
Elko must continue elevating and prove last year was no fluke.
His recruiting success suggests hes building Texas A&M for staying power, and hes proven more reliable than predecessor Jimbo Fisher at developing talent." Close to securing the No.
1-ranked 2027 recruiting class, Elko has more than proven his ability to secure elite high school talent and transfer additions, but over the course of his next six years in College Station, it's too early to accurately grade his ability as a developer.
Significant progress has been made nonetheless.
Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions.
Follow Cameron on X: @CameronOhnysty.