The Texas A&M Aggies are doing what many of us would like to do after a rough stretch: head out to Las Vegas to try and turn it around. On Friday night, the Aggies will wrap up Year 1 of the Mike Elko era as they face the USC Trojans in the SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl.

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.

LAS VEGAS — Texas A&M coach Mike Elko said he had something in common with Aggies quarterback Marcel Reed a year ago when both were under the roof of NRG Stadium during the holidays. “I was still running around in circles,