Not the Same Old Aggies

The last head coach at Texas A&M to beat a ranked non-conference opponent on the road was Tom Wilson in 1979. Jackie Sherrill and R.C. Slocum never did it. Neither did Dennis Franchione, Mike Sherman, Kevin Sumlin, or Jimbo Fisher. But Mike Elko has. He led the Aggies into South Bend and emerged victorious, 41-40. The type of result that serves as an origin story to big season, and maybe as the catalyst to a new reality in College Station. 

Texas A&M emerged out of the shadow of rival Texas as newfound SEC members in 2012. The program quickly paid off the gamble, winning 11 games while Johnny Manziel claimed a Heisman Trophy. The Aggies were 6-0 on the road that season, knocking off No. 1 ranked Alabama. They had arrived. And with the added resources and recruiting advantages in the SEC, they were to be what Clemson, and to a lesser extent Oregon, became – nationally relevant.