the Mike Elko era begins

There is nothing better in college football than the weeks leading up to the first game of the season. During training camp, every team and its fans are filled with optimism, believing that this will be a special season where records will be broken and championships won.

Such is the case at No. 20 Texas A&M, where coach Mike Elko's first year is being met with both excitement and a sigh of relief to have a new man at the helm of the program. But can he live up to those expectations? Here are possible best- and worst-case scenarios for the Aggies in 2024:

Every year in College Station, you expect a wealth of talent on the Aggies' roster. The team boasts a number of top-notch recruits and is consistently one of the best recruiting programs in the country. However, it has become a tradition at A&M that those recruits don't produce the desired results. The Aggies haven't won a conference championship since 1998 and haven't had 10 wins in a season since 2012.

This year could be the year A&M puts that problem behind them and makes real progress toward becoming a national power. The Aggies have plenty of experienced returnees and have been on a shopping spree in the transfer portal. They bring in a coaching staff with a fresh approach, new ideas and a newly motivated fan base.

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It's the SEC, though. A&M's schedule is no picnic. They play four top-15 teams at home, led by Texas (No. 4) and Notre Dame (No. 7). The Aggies travel to challenging environments like Florida, South Carolina and Auburn.

In a truly exceptional year, with a 10-2 record, A&M would do well on the road and hold its own against some of the best teams in the country at home. With a 10-2 record, the Aggies would likely be in the running for the College Football Playoff. In December, Elko will be named national coach of the year.

This part isn't all sunshine and roses. The Aggies have a number of new players and coaches, but that means everyone has to get up to speed and get used to new offensive and defensive schemes. The season opener against the Fighting Irish is a priority, and if A&M isn't ready for Notre Dame and doesn't put up a good performance, that won't exactly be a good reason for the rest of the year.

In recent years, the Aggies' seasons have always been hampered by an injury to the starting quarterback, as was the case with sophomore signal-caller Conner Weigman in 2023. If he were to be out for an extended period again, it would severely hinder A&M from reaching its full potential.

The home schedule is a blast with top SEC teams No. 11 Missouri, No. 13 LSU and the No. 4 Longhorns. Worst case scenario, the Aggies are underdogs and lose every game. Their road woes could continue with two losses away from Kyle Field.

That makes for a 6-6 record and a step back from coach Jimbo Fisher's last season, when he was fired after 10 games and A&M finished with a 7-6 record. Coaching changes should give a program hope, and the Aggies' field has them wondering how much of an improvement Elko was.

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A reasonable prediction is somewhere between the best and worst case scenarios, and 8-4 seems like a safe bet. Powered by an electrified crowd, A&M could beat Notre Dame or Texas, but lose games to Missouri and LSU. The Aggies would also lose an away game in a hostile environment.

Yes, it's only a one-win improvement in the regular season. But progress takes time, and a season like this would be a small but necessary step in the right direction. A win in the bowl game would be the icing on the cake and would build momentum for 2025.