Texas A&M heads to Columbia for another meeting with Missouri, and this one feels different from the recent run of games between the old Big 12 rivals. The Aggies have won three straight in the series, but Missouri enters at 4-1 after a 35-point win over a top-10 Florida team and looks every bit like a contender. Texas A&M, meanwhile, is trying to steady itself after what had become an ugly SEC slide before last week’s 34-7 win over Arkansas.
If the Aggies are going to pull off the upset, the clearest path starts on the ground. KJ Edwards and Carsyn Baker gave Texas A&M a jolt against Arkansas, combining for three touchdowns and bringing the kind of burst the offense has been missing from Rueben Owens II.
If those young backs can keep the chains moving, it gives Marcel Reed a better chance to operate without the offense bogging down. If they can’t, the Aggies could be in trouble fast.
Reed remains the biggest swing factor. The second-year quarterback has not looked like the same player who guided Texas A&M to its first College Football Playoff appearance, and the results have been uneven at best.
His struggles helped sink a comeback against Kentucky, and his showing against LSU, when he barely cleared 100 passing yards, was a low point. Still, Reed has shown he can take over stretches of games, including his first career start against Florida in 2024, against Brian Kelly’s Tigers in 2025 and against Notre Dame that same year.
Texas A&M does not necessarily need a fireworks show from him, but it does need him to be controlled and efficient against Austin Simmons and one of the SEC’s best offenses.
Turnovers may be the Aggies’ best equalizer. Texas A&M did not lean on giveaways last season the way it did on sacks, but in 2026 that has flipped.
The pass rush has not been nearly as disruptive, yet the defense has been producing takeaways, and Dalton Brooks’ interception against Arkansas pushed the Aggies past last season’s total. They have also done a good job turning those takeaways into points.
The challenge now is that Simmons has not thrown an interception this season, so Texas A&M may not get many chances. One could still be enough, though, if the Aggies stay clean everywhere else.
The health of the receiving corps adds another layer of uncertainty. Terry Bussey is out for the season, while Mario Craver and Ashton Bethel-Roman are still dealing with injuries.
Craver is questionable and Bethel-Roman is still working back toward full strength, leaving Reed without much margin if the passing game needs help. Isaiah Horton, the Alabama transfer, leads the team with three receiving touchdowns, Aaron Gregory has flashed in limited action and scored his first touchdown in maroon and white, and TK Norman also deserves attention after contributing as both a runner and receiver against Arkansas.
Pressure on the quarterback is another area Texas A&M has to find. The Aggies are not generating sacks at the same rate they did a season ago, which is hardly a surprise after losing the SEC Defensive Player of the Year and several other starters to the NFL Draft.
Even so, if A&M wants to slow Missouri and give itself a real shot on the road, it needs more disruption in the backfield. For an Elko defense that has built its identity around takeaways, adding sacks in a matchup like this would be a major bonus.
In Other News...
Texas A&M Fans Should Watch This SEC Transfer Fight Closely
Lane Kiffin has already put a spotlight on one of the SECs most significant offseason debates, and Texas A&M fans have reason to pay attention. The proposed rule would force athletes who transfer from one SEC school to another to sit out a season, a sharp change from the 2021 policy that opened the door to immediate eligibility within the conference.
For a league built on roster movement and constant competition for talent, the discussion goes well beyond one coachs public pushback. Kiffin said the idea would restrict player freedom and could even help other conferences by sending SEC players elsewhere, which is why the measure now sitting with SEC presidents has become such a closely watched issue across the league. [Read more 🡒]
Texas A&M Has A Clear Path To Expose Missouris Biggest Problem
Texas A&M enters this matchup with a pretty clear blueprint, and it starts with treating Missouris defensive aggression as a chance to make the Tigers pay on the ground. The matchup also points toward the Aggies taking some calculated shots downfield, a reminder that this game may turn on whether Texas A&M can turn Missouris front-line pressure into bigger gains instead of quick negative plays.
There is also a secondary battle worth watching, because Missouris coverage tendencies create opportunities if Texas A&M can consistently win individual matchups and stay ahead of schedule on third down. If the Aggies can keep drives alive and force Missouri to defend the whole field, the game could tilt toward the kind of balanced performance that exposes a defense built to be disruptive but not always airtight. [Read more 🡒]
Texas A&M Cannot Keep Asking Marcel Reed To Save Everything
Texas A&M got a more functional version of its offense against Arkansas, and Marcel Reed was right at the center of it. The Aggies were far more efficient on the ground than through the air, but the bigger takeaway was that the unit at least looked organized enough to give itself a chance. For a team trying to build consistency, that matters as much as any one burst of production.
Missouri will offer a much sterner test, though, and that is where the pressure on Texas A&M becomes clearer. The coaching staff has stressed the need to keep the offense structured and dependable, because asking Reed to carry everything is not a sustainable plan. The Arkansas performance pointed in the right direction, but the real question is whether the Aggies can keep that rhythm when the opponent is better equipped to take it away. [Read more 🡒]