Aggie fans have banded together on social media and on campus to celebrate the blossoming Texas A&M-Alabama rivalry through “Bama Hate Week.” 
Many Aggies have taken to social media promoting the #BamaHateWeek hashtag, while one group of A&M students decided to participate in beating the hell out of Bama in a more literal sense. 
Some students decided to build a replica of the Alabama mascot, a roughly 8-foot-tall elephant, out of sheet metal, which will be present at their tailgate located between Reed Arena and the West Campus Garage. Aggie fans can stop by and use a variety of tools to take a swing at the elephant as a way of actually “beating the hell out of Alabama.”
Industrial engineering senior Zach McIlvoy helped construct the giant elephant. McIlvoy said he and his friends came up with the idea last year, but this year decided to go through with it.
“It was an idea tossed around on a much smaller scale last year,” McIlvoy said. “This year, some friends just decided to make it happen as big as possible.”
McIlvoy said building the near-life size elephant out of sheet metal was done rather quickly and the group only had to spend a few days planning and constructing it. 
“Most of the work was done by four guys over the course of a weekend,” McIlvoy said. “Then, another day or two of painting, taping and safety work.”
McIlvoy said he thinks the 59-0 blowout in 2014 was what marked the beginning of an official friendly rivalry between Texas A&M and Alabama. Regardless of the beginning of the rivalry, he said he thinks it will be a game Aggies look forward to every year.