COLLEGE STATION — After a well-earned week off, Texas A&M football is back to work as they turn their attention to Week 8 and another SEC opponent.
Head coach Mike Elko on Monday set his sights toward a Mississippi State team that fought hard against Georgia.
“It was a good week for us to recharge a little bit. Six (games) in a row is a good, healthy way to start the season,” Elko said. “We gave them some time to peel back a little bit. … we came out today with a lot of energy.”
The No. 14 Aggies (5-1, 3-0 SEC) dismantled the Missouri Tigers in front of a hostile Kyle Field crowd, 41-10. Now, they head into Starkville, Miss. looking to keep things rolling against a one-win Bulldogs team.
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Here are some takeaways from Elko’s comments Monday during his weekly conference with reporters:
Building a championship mindset
Elko has preached since Day 1 that he was looking to build a mentality of success and accountability in College Station. Heading into the thick of conference play, the message stays the same.
“We talk about championship mindset, whether it’s success or failure. It’s about how you go about your day-to-day when you’re trying to become a champion,” Elko said. “It’s now a challenge coming out of Missouri. As we are building this program to where we want it to be, it’s about the mindset.”
The Aggies have six games remaining, and Elko knows that to reach their goals, they will need focus.
“We’re in a really good spot from a health standpoint. We’re excited for the next phase of the season.”
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Aware of the history
Elko understands that the Aggies have struggled against MSU historically, winning just one of the last four games Davis Wade Stadium. And even though a marquee matchup awaits later this month against No. 8 LSU, Mississippi State (1-5, 0-3) has A&M’s attention.
“Full expectation is we’re going to have our hands full going into Starkville. We always do. We’re not very good going down to Starkville as a program,” Elko said.
The Aggies have played a home-heavy schedule, but are 1-0 on the road this year.
“What makes (Starkville) a hard place to play is they’re always really talented, and they play well at home,” Elko said. “Their fans, like everywhere in the SEC, take pride in protecting their house. … It’s going to be a really, really difficult place to play on Saturday.
“This group of kids, the last time they went down to Starkville, it wasn’t pretty. We don’t need to look at other people. We just need to look at our own history.”
Kickoff from Davis Wade Stadium will be at 3:15 p.m. on SEC Network.
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This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas A&M vs Mississippi State: Aggies prepare for Bulldogs
