Step 1 because we missed the first step! I don't know about others, but where I come from, step one is being the undisputed district (conference) champion.
BTHO Miami!!!
BTHO Miami!!!
Photo by Brian Jones
Click here to view Mike Elko’s Sunday press conference.
The sight of “Texas A&M” popping up on the television screen during the College Football Playoff selection show on Sunday started a celebration at the football team’s watch party.
The Aggies (11-1) showed up as the No. 7 seed. They will face No. 10 seed Miami (10-2) at Kyle Field in the first round of the playoffs on Dec. 20 at 11 a.m. CT.
Although Sunday’s celebration was earned, A&M coach Mike Elko made it clear the aim is for more revelry and greater festivities in the weeks ahead.
“I think it was just a really cool moment to see Texas A&M pop up there at No. 7 and to know that we had accomplished step one of where we want this program to go, which is getting into the playoffs,” Elko said.
“That was never the goal. That was the first goal, right? The first goal was to get the name on the board. Now, we’ve got to go out, and we’ve got to prove that we’ve earned it.”
Getting into the College Football Playoff is quite an accomplishment in itself. Elko reminded his players at the watch party that several good teams didn’t get into the field.
Notre Dame (10-2), BYU (11-2), Texas (9-3), Vanderbilt (10-2) and Utah (10-2) were among the teams omitted from the 12-team field.
But “step one” indicates more steps will follow. That’s certainly Elko’s aim. Four victories are required for A&M to win its first national championship since 1939.
“That was never the goal,” he said of the playoff berth. “That was the first goal, right? The first goal was to get the name on the board. Now, we’ve got to go out, and we’ve got to prove that we’ve earned it.
“We’re going to have to do that against a very difficult football team.”
Miami opened the season with a 27-24 victory over Notre Dame. The Hurricanes won their first five.
Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports
Miami’s Mario Cristobal is 1-1 vs. Texas A&M and 0-1 against Mike Elko, who defeated the Hurricanes while at Duke in 2022, 45-21.
They sustained mid-season, one-score losses to Louisville and SMU, but closed with a four-game winning streak.
The Hurricanes blasted then-No. 22 Pitt, 38-7, in the season finale.
Miami is ranked 20th in the nation in scoring offense and sixth in scoring defense. Quarterback Carson Beck is 21st in the nation in passing. Freshman Malachi Toney is one of the most explosive receivers in the country.
“It’s going to take everything we got over the next few days to kind of really dive into them and see what they’re all about and try to create a plan to give us the best chance to go out and have success,” Elko said.
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