Coach Mike Elko’s debut season with Texas A&M wraps up in Sin City, where the Aggies meet USC for just the fourth time ever at the SRS Distribution Las

Las Vegas began blooming on the Nevada desert nearly a century ago thanks in part to the building of the Hoover Dam, and now Texas A&M coach Mike Elko hopes his program’s holidays sojourn to the bright lights on the sand helps bring a similar mushrooming for the Aggies.

Credit: AP/Ryan Sun “I think it was the right decision for each one of them, and the rest of our roster is here, so we're excited,” Aggies coach Mike Elko said. “I think we're in a really good place, and I'm happy with where we are moving forward.”

ESPN’s Football Power Index (FPI) has a prediction for Texas A&M’s bowl game matchup against USC. The 2 sides are set to meet in the Las Vegas Bowl on Friday evening. FPI sees this game as a virtual tossup, with the Trojans have the slight edge. They have a 50.6% chance to win the game outright, according to FPI.

The USC Trojans prepare to square off against the Texas A&M Aggies in the Las Vegas Bowl on Friday, Dec. 27. So what did Texas A&M coach Mike Elko have to say about the upcoming matchup at Allegiant Stadium?

Defensively, it will be tough for USC to slow down the Aggies, specifically through the air without cornerback Jaylin Smith. The 49 points Notre Dame put up on the Trojans in the regular-season finale were the most they’ve allowed all year, though most of the damage was done on the ground. A shootout might be the best-case scenario for the Trojans.

The Texas A&M Aggies and USC Trojans are set to face off in the SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl, which would have been a classic SEC vs. Pac 12 matchup before the conference realignment during the offseason.

Scouting report, betting odds, time, TV/radio information and key matchups for Texas A&M vs USC as the Aggies face the Trojans in the Las Vegas Bowl.