As the Texas A&M Aggies know all too well by now, winning in the SEC rarely comes easy.
For example, Saturday afternoon’s game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs, who sit last in the SEC with a 1-5 record (0-3 in conference play), looks like an easy win on paper. But the trip to Starkville, where the cowbells ring loudly, is always fraught with challenges. The Aggies are a much better team and coming back from a bye week is a nice benefit, but it would be a fool’s errand to discount the opponent and environment.
Aggies head coach Mike Elko won’t put his team through the cowbell before the game, but he will make sure his team is ready for what lies ahead.
“I swore to my players that I would never do that,” Elko told reporters Monday. “We play loud music and create crowd noise that way. You know, I don’t know that there’s something unique about cowbells. What makes them difficult to play is that they It’s always been really talented. Their fans, like everyone in the SEC, are very passionate about defending their home on Saturday afternoons because they take great pride in playing at home. I take great pride in
“You know, we’re talking about challenges like this, what makes this league different, what makes this league different. This is going to be a noisy, hostile environment. They’re going to be full of energy, it’s going to be really tough.” It’s a really tough place to play on Saturday. It’s not like every league is top to bottom like the SEC. ”
Since joining the SEC, the Aggies have a 2-4 record in Starkville. They won in 2012 and 2020, their best seasons in the SEC when they finished in the AP Top 5.
Kickoff at Davis Wade Stadium is set for 3:15 p.m. CT, with the No. 14 Aggies looking to remain undefeated in conference play.
