Texas A&M football has one of its biggest challenges coming up on Saturday, as the Aggies travel to Columbia, Missouri, to take on the 14th-ranked Tigers.
For three years, the streak was all Aggies. Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko lost however to Missouri head coach Eli Drinkwitz, throwing them 79-27. The Aggies lead the all-time series, 11-7, but things could have been much different on October 10th.
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Mizzou is coming off a huge 45-17 in 8 win over Florida, in which the Tigers held Heisman running back Jadan Baugh to just 13 yards rushing on 12 carries while putting up over 500 yards of offense. They have electric weapons everywhere on the gridiron, and they want to break Texas A&M’s winning streak.
Here are three areas to watch for in the 19th meeting between the Aggies and Tigers on Saturday;
Texas A&M’s jump defense Austin Simmons vs
Oct 3, 2026; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers quarterback Austin Simmons (13) looks to throw in the third quarter against the Florida Gators at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images
The Ole Miss transfer has solidified himself as one of the SEC’s top gunslingers, ranking No. 3 in the conference with 1,287 passing yards and No. 2 with 13 passing touchdowns. Simmons has four games with 200 yards or more, including a season-high 340 in a 45-17 win over Florida. He doesn’t have an interception or he doesn’t.
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After a slow start to the season, Texas A&M’s defense has flashed at times in recent weeks. The unit is allowing 191.8 passing yards, ranking No. 6 in the league, but has nine 30-plus yard passes.
Can the Aggie secondary stop Simmons’ wild run in CoMo?
Texas A&M offensive line vs. Missouri’s defensive line
Sep 5, 2026; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies offensive lineman Wilkin Formby (75) blocks as Missouri State Bears defensive end Jalile Elliott (10) defends during the second quarter at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images
The Aggies’ offensive line will face one of its toughest obstacles of the season on Saturday, lining up against Missouri’s physical, dominant defensive unit. The Tigers made Florida quarterback Aaron Philo feel the heat in Week 5, recording three sacks and a season-high five hurries against the quarterback.
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The Maroon Goons have allowed 9.0 total sacks, which ranks around the middle of the pack in the SEC, but the unit has improved slightly each week. Blake Ivy State had a surprising pop-up day Wednesday: in the Missouri game, per the SEC Student-Athlete Availability Report, the shot went up to Texas A&M’s height front.
Can the Maroon Goons stop the Missouri Fort from rampaging through the trenches?
Marcel Reed vs. Missouri Secondary
Oct 3, 2026; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies quarterback Marcel Reed (10) looks to pass the ball in the third quarter against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images
It’s hard to argue against those who point to the pen’s carelessness and decision-making as they note that Texas A&M’s offense is the more explosive unit we saw last season. He ranks last among SEC starters in completion percentage (57.0) and quarterback rating (11.16), along with the second-most interceptions in the conference (7) in five contests.
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Harundi’s errant shots and inability to stand up under pressure, especially for Saturday’s showdown with the Tigers’ elite defensive front. But Missouri has struggled at times to defend the pass, allowing 231.2 passing yards per contest and 15 passing games on 20-plus yards entering Week 6.
Can Reed exploit a potential weakness of Missouri’s defense?
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This article first appeared on the Aggies thread: Texas A&M at No. 14 Missouri: 3 areas to watch for tigers