Sports · American Football · 9 hrs ago
Georgia beats Alabama as Texas A&M coach criticizes online fans
Georgia beat Alabama 20-17 in a close game in Tuscaloosa, giving coach Kirby Smart his first win there as Georgia’s head coach.
The Bulldogs were without running backs Nate Frazier and Chauncey Bowens, but Dwight Phillips Jr. and Bo Walker helped lead the ground game.
The win strengthened Georgia’s case as one of the country’s top teams and showed it could win with a range of players.
Elsewhere, Texas A&M lost 27-6 to Missouri, leaving the Aggies at 3-3.
Coach Mike Elko criticized the online community of TexAgs, a popular fan site, calling it a “cesspool” after the defeat.
The comments drew criticism because fan backlash on TexAgs had helped push the university to hire Elko in 2023.
Elko said the team was in a bad spot but would work its way out of it.
No. 2 Georgia beat No. 6 Alabama 20-17 in a close game at Alabama’s Bryant-Denny Stadium.
The win was Kirby Smart’s first in Tuscaloosa as Georgia’s head coach.
Texas A&M coach Mike Elko criticized online fan commentary after his team lost 27-6 to Missouri.
Elko distinguished social media from the fan base, urging supporters to stay behind the team.
Billy Liucci, co-owner of the TexAgs fan site, called Elko’s comments “ridiculously tone deaf.”
- Who
- Georgia beat Alabama; Texas A&M coach Mike Elko also drew attention for his comments about online fans.
- What
- Georgia won 20-17. Elko criticized social media commentary after Texas A&M lost 27-6 to Missouri.
- When
- Saturday. The article was published on 2026-10-11.
- Where
- Georgia’s game was at Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa; Texas A&M’s loss was at Missouri.
- Why
- Georgia won a close game. Elko’s comments followed Texas A&M’s loss and criticism from fans.
Mike Elko
Billy Liucci
Social media criticism
Mike Elko
Elko said he did not care much about social media and called it a “cesspool.
Billy Liucci
Liucci called Elko’s comments “ridiculously tone deaf.
Fan support
Mike Elko
Elko urged the fan base to stay with the team and said it would build what it had promised.
Billy Liucci
Liucci’s criticism reflected opposition to Elko’s remarks; the article says an earlier fan backlash helped prompt Texas A&M administrators to hire Elko.
I don't judge my happiness or success on how we play 'Bama. I've got a lot of respect for this place. Nick taught me a lot.
There's a difference to me between the fan base and social media
So there's one group that I really don't care much about. Billy's cesspool can go be Billy's cesspool. Our fan base, stay with us, be behind us. We're going to build something that we told you we were going to build. So we're in a really bad spot right now, but we'll work our way out of it.
ridiculously tone deaf
Fan backlash on TexAgs followed reports that Kentucky’s Mark Stoops was poised to take the Texas A&M job, and administrators reversed course and hired Elko.
Georgia beat Alabama 20-17 in Tuscaloosa.
Texas A&M lost 27-6 at Missouri, and Elko made his comments about social media and the fan base.
- Georgia-Alabama score
- Georgia 20, Alabama 17
- Georgia ranking
- No. 2
- Alabama ranking
- No. 6
- Texas A&M-Missouri score
- Missouri 27, Texas A&M 6
- Elko contract
- $69 million
Sources
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