A 30-3 halftime deficit to fellow SEC school South Carolina at home was all that stood in the way of the Texas A&M football program and a 10-0. No problem for head coach Mike Elko's program. Quarterback Marcel Reed led the largest comeback in Aggies football history, defeating the visiting Gamecocks 31-30 on Saturday afternoon. When asked about his halftime message to the team, Elko discussed some key details. SEC insider Michael Bratton shared Elko's words via X, formerly Twitter.
What did Mike Elko tell his team at halftime when Texas A&M was down 30-3?
“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.” pic.twitter.com/bcSw4huuPj
— SEC Mike (@MichaelWBratton) November 15, 2025
“We have an identity of who we are,” Elko restated postgame. “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.”
The resolve of this Texas A&M team is certainly an impressive one. The Gamecocks dominated the opening 30 minutes, with a 40-yard field goal by Randy Bond in the first quarter the lone points on the board for the home team. Then, after Elko's halftime talk with Reed and his teammates, the Aggies used a three-touchdown third quarter to narrow South Carolina's lead to six. Running back EJ Smith gave Texas A&M the lead with an early fourth-down score, and the Aggies' defense continued its outstanding second half. Can the third-ranked, undefeated SEC leaders finish the job?
Texas A&M two wins away from undefeated regular season
A home date against Samford, followed by a road game at in-state and SEC rival Texas to close out the season, are the only things that stand between Texas A&M and an undefeated regular season. As long as both programs win next weekend, the Aggies and Longhorns could be a top ten matchup.
There's no doubt that Elko and his staff are planning on taking a trip to Austin with an 11-0 record. Reed led four scoring drives in Saturday's history-making win, including scoring passes to three different receivers. Elko's defense clamped down during a rock-solid second-half performance. Two more wins stand between Texas A&M and more program history. Can the Aggies finish the job?
