The Texas A&M Aggies have not had the season the program had hoped for at this point in the year, and with the dreams of a College Football Playoffs appearance out the window, there isn't much left to play for at this point.

However, the Aggies are still looking to make bowl eligibility and show that there is something on the roster to build from next season. The schedule doesn't get any easier either as they prepare to take on the red-hot South Carolina Gamecocks.

The win would be a great shift in momentum for the Aggies after the bye week, and for head coach Mike Elko, it would mark his 40th win as a head coach, a significant personal milestone.

How Elko Got Here

Elko began his career as a head coach in 2022 with the Duke Blue Devils, leaving his position as defensive coordinator with the Aggies. In his first year, he led the program to nine wins, but took a step back to seven wins in 2023.

He would take over as the head coach for the Aggies in 2024 with a 16-9 head coaching record, and after an 8-5 season in year one, he would follow that up with a historic 2025 season that included a trip to the College Football Playoffs and an 11-2 record overall.

Now at 4-4 in 2026, Elko has a 23-11 record in College Station, and is 39-20 in his time, with a 66.1 winning percentage, the 23rd highest among active head coaches.

What Does It Mean for Texas A&M?

As it stands now, 63 active head coaches in college football have reached 40 wins in their careers; Elko could be No. 64 with a win over the Gamecocks. However, does that put the Aggies on the right path for what the school is trying to achieve?

For Elko, who is in his third year with the program, this is only his fifth season overall as a head coach. That isn't a large enough sample size to make a clear decision on what he is capable of, but other head coaches in their fifth season include Dan Lanning (Oregon), Joey McGuire (Texas Tech), and Rhett Lashlee (SMU).

All three are coaches in different conferences, each respected as a formidable threat to make the College Football Playoffs at any time. All of those coaches have crossed 40 wins, including McGuire, who has the lowest of the three with 42.

If you take the first 2.5 years of Elko's time in College Station and stretch it to five years, his record would be 44-20, ahead of Lashee with 42, but tied with McGuire, and far behind the 53 that Lanning possesses.

All are great coaches, and Elko is already respected as one, but none have perennial powerhouse programs, and the Aggies could be on the same path.