Texas A&M coach Mike Elko warns Aggies ahead of Arizona Sate showdown

The No. 8-ranked Texas A&M Aggies took care of business this past Saturday, beating the Missouri State Bears 50-0 in their season opener at Kyle Field in College Station, Texas. Coach Mike Elko’s team outgained the Bears 505 yards to 67, overcoming their opponents with sheer physical dominance that Elko said was forged during offseason workouts.

Next up for the Aggies is a team that won in a similar dominating fashion in Week 1, the Arizona State Sun Devils, which Elko cautioned his team about in comments shared by CBS 5 Phoenix reporter Brad Denny.

“This is a really talented team that’s been producing a lot of NFL players, has a bunch of them on the field this weekend,” Elko said. “This will be a really big challenge for us.”

Texas A&M quarterback Marcel Reed played sound football against the Bears, compiling 233 passing yards on 21-of-30 completions with two touchdowns and no interceptions. He also chipped in 20 rushing yards on seven carries. Reed garnered buzz for offseason improvements under Elko’s tutelage, including better accuracy and a stronger presence.

The Sun Devils are expected to counter with new starting quarterback Cutter Boley, who has the size – 6-foot-5, 220 pounds – to survey the field and throw over the top of the Aggies’ swarming defense. Boley joined the Sun Devils after a 2,160-yard passing season in 2025 with the Kentucky Wildcats and impressed last week with 387 yards and six touchdowns against the Morgan State Bears.

Elko knows what a Kenny Dillingham-coached Sun Devils team is capable of and now has his team’s attention. Except for a College Football Playoff-level atmosphere and football game this coming Saturday, September 12, at noon ET at Kyle Field in front of 100,000-plus fans – a game that could eventually determine which team makes this year’s playoff and who’s left out in the cold.

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