Texas A&M heads to Columbia this weekend with a line that has plenty of people squinting.
Despite Missouri’s 28-point demolition of top-10 Florida, FanDuel opened the Aggies as only a 3.5-point underdog. On paper, that feels light. The Tigers just handled a game in which Florida came in as a 5-point favorite, and now Vegas has already absorbed that result along with Texas A&M’s showing against Arkansas.
The matchup itself makes the number even harder to ignore. Texas A&M’s biggest defensive problem has been giving up explosive plays through the air, and Missouri’s passing game is built to attack exactly that weakness. If Missouri can protect Austin Simmons and keep pushing the ball downfield, this one could get away from the Aggies fast.
Still, there are reasons the line isn’t wider. Missouri is coming off a huge home win over a top-10 opponent, and that can create a letdown spot, especially with Ole Miss looming a week later. Texas A&M also comes in with less preseason buzz than expected, which opens the door for a sneakier road performance than the matchup suggests.
There’s also the simple matter of motivation. The Aggies need a statement win to get their season moving in the right direction, and Missouri has plenty of reason to want this one, too. Eli Drinkwitz has watched Texas A&M put up points on his team since Mike Elko took over in College Station.
A&M scored 41 on Missouri in 2024 and 38 the year before. Matching that kind of output this time around looks difficult with the Aggies’ offensive issues and Missouri’s defense playing the way it has. But this game still has enough variables to keep it interesting - and enough uncertainty to leave open the possibility that Texas A&M either starts looking like the team people expected in the preseason or deepens the sense that this season is headed in the wrong direction.
In Other News...
Texas A&M Weekend With BenDaDonnn Took A Wild Turn Fast
What started as a feel-good Texas A&M football weekend with BenDaDonnn quickly turned into a far messier scene. He was initially welcomed at the game, a sign that the night could have stayed in the usual orbit of a high-profile visitor around Aggieland, but things shifted when coaching staff later denied him access to the teams locker room.
The aftermath moved well beyond the stadium. After the game, a confrontation involving BenDaDonnn and law enforcement unfolded in the Northgate bar district, and it ended with his arrest on an evading arrest charge. His bodyguard was also arrested on an interfering-with-duties charge, turning what had begun as a routine game-day appearance into a night Texas A&M fans will be talking about for reasons nobody expected. [Read more 🡒]
Texas A&M Win Raised A Bigger Question About This Offense
Texas A&Ms win over Arkansas added another comfortable chapter to a series that has gone the Aggies way often since they joined the Southeastern Conference in 2012, but the bigger takeaway was less about the scoreboard than the shape of the offense. True freshmen Carsyn Baker and KJ Edwards both offered glimpses of what the backfield can become, giving the Aggies another layer to consider as they keep sorting out how this unit wants to function.
Marcel Reed also helped steady things with his game management, and David Olanos recent progress continued to show up in a meaningful way. His two long field goals gave Texas A&M a reliable boost, but the mix of youth in the backfield, Reeds command and Olanos leg only sharpened the larger question hanging over the offense moving forward. [Read more 🡒]
Texas A&M Run Game Faces Its Biggest SEC Test Yet
Texas A&M heads into Saturday's SEC matchup with Missouri trying to build on a 3-2 start and a win over Arkansas, but the assignment looks steeper than most so far. Missouri comes in ranked 14th in the AP Top 25 after a convincing victory over Florida, and the Tigers have the kind of defensive profile that can make life difficult for an offense that wants to lean on the ground game.
That sets up the central question for the Aggies: whether their run game can hold up against one of the league's stronger run defenses. The history between these programs and the contrast in recent form add some intrigue, too, especially with Missouri carrying the pressure of follow-up games after big wins and Texas A&M looking to keep its momentum alive in a tougher SEC measuring stick. [Read more 🡒]