COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Good performance or bad, Texas A&M coach Mike Elko feels his team comes back with the same focus to get better next time out.
That won't change, he said, after the 10th-ranked Aggies' best showing of the year. “I think that means the messaging is getting through,” Elko said this week . “We’ve tried to attack this thing from a mindset of we need to improve every week.
” The praise is flowing these days for the Aggies (7-1) who are the only undefeated team in Southeastern Conference play at 5-0 and look to stay on track for the league title game in facing South Carolina (4-3, 2-3) on Saturday night. Elko heard that message back from several players during the week's preparation and even from backup quarterback Marcel Reed after leading a second-half rally to defeat LSU 38-23 a week ago. “Marcel on national TV, talking about the next opportunity,” Elko said.
“I think they're locked in on what we're capable of.” To get there, Texas A&M will have to get past the Gamecocks, who have thrown scares into LSU and Alabama this season and won at Oklahoma last time out. LSU scored with less than two minutes left to escape Williams-Brice Stadium with a 36-33 victory two months ago.
The Gamecocks were driving at Alabama in the final minute before an interception secured a 27-25 victory for the Crimson Tide. The win at Oklahoma , South Carolina coach Shane Beamer said, gave his team a boost of belief in what they can accomplish in making a mark the fi.