The proof of concept is there, but this cannot be Aggies' ceiling
11 wins is a mark that very few had the Aggies at when doing their preseason projections. I predicted 11-1 all the way back last spring (though I thought the Aggies lost a game to LSU rather than Texas), but even then the idea was that such a number would represent a massive step forward for Elko and the Aggies.
National title contention was the furthest thing from many fans' minds, but it's where the Aggies were for the majority of the year. The final game showed that there's more needed, of course, which means that this can't be where the road ends for Texas A&M.
Elko has to— and I believe with a high degree of confidence that he will— improve beyond this. This was the program's first-ever College Football Playoff game, meaning that they've never seen these heights in modern college football by definition.
But this is no time to rest on your laurels. The Aggies will have something of a rebuild on their hands next year— or a reload, if they play their cards right— and will soon be back in contention. When they make it back to this stage, they had better do so as a team better-equipped for a deep run in this tournament.