Texas A&M Aggies Coach Slips Up In Press Conference When Asked About Texas Longhorns

Texas A&M Aggies coach Mike Elko went viral for a comment about the rivalry with the Texas Longhorns.

Nov 2, 2024; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; Texas A&M Aggies head coach Mike Elko directs his team against the South Carolina Gamecocks in the second quarter at Williams-Brice Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-Imagn Images / Jeff Blake-Imagn Images

There might not be a more anticipated game in college football for the rest of the regular season than the one between the Texas Longhorns and Texas A&M Aggies.

On Nov. 30, the two arch-rivals will meet for the first time in over a decade in the renewed Lonestar Showdown in College Station.

To make things even more interesting the game is set for a primetime kick at 6:30 on ABC, and both teams will likely be fighting for the SEC Championship and College Football Playoff hopes against one another.

Suffice it to say, both teams have this one circled for a while.

So much so, in fact, that during his weekly press conference, Aggies head coach Mike Elko was asked about his team's focus heading into this weekend's game vs. Auburn and ended up going viral for his response.

“I don’t think (our focus) an issue,” Elko said. “When you’re in the situation we’re in, it’s easy to focus on the task at hand. I think those big games earlier in the year, maybe you look ahead. If we didn’t have at stake, what’s at stake, maybe you would worry about it. I think our focus is single-handedly on Texas... or, I mean Auburn right now, and locked in on what we got to get done.”

Of course, Elko's mistake was an innocent one. His team is focused on Auburn and Auburn only heading into the weekend.

Does that mean his team hasn't prepared at any point over the last few months for what they might see vs. the Longhorns? Absolutely not.

The same is likely to be said on the other side as well with Steve Sarkisian. Both teams have had multiple bye weeks and an entire offseason to consider a game plan for one another.

And both teams have been looking forward to this matchup since Texas was announced as a new SEC member.

"I know Coach Elko has done a great job in that program in his short time being there," Sarkisian said during SEC Media Days this summer. "It's going to be a great environment in Kyle Field Thanksgiving weekend, so we're definitely looking forward to it."

But this week? The Longhorns are focused on their matchup with Kentucky, and the Aggies have their eyes set on Auburn.

That said at 12:01 am on Sunday morning, that will change, and it will officially be Lonestar Showdown Week.

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