No. 14 Mizzou football bullies Texas A&M in 27-6 win

COLUMBIA — Gig ’em while they’re down.

Coming off a 45-17 upset win over then-No. 8 Florida, Missouri football was the Southeastern Conference’s team of the week. Based on the recent pattern of hot-off-the-press teams in the SEC, the Tigers had to be careful to not fall into a trap set by the awaiting Aggies — the one thing it couldn’t afford to do Saturday was to lose to Texas A&M.

The Lone Star travelers embarrassed the Tigers in Columbia in the last meeting between the teams, recording a 38-17 pounding near the end of the 2025 season that followed up a 41-10 win in 2024 at Kyle Field. Texas A&M had belittled Missouri both times and could easily have embarrassed it again.

Now at its lowest point under coach Mike Elko, entering the matchup 1-2 in SEC play, Texas A&M had a prime opportunity to upset Missouri and get back on track. Instead, the already-down Aggies were buried 27-6 by Missouri. The victory, capped off by a 56-yard beeline to the end zone by running back Jamal Roberts, marked the Tigers’ first win over Texas A&M since 2014 and likely slammed the door shut on any aspirations the Aggies had for a turnaround toward the College Football Playoff.

Who’s the bully now?

"Keep hitting them in the mouth," Roberts said of Missouri's third-quarter drive that ended in his first touchdown run, putting the Tigers up 20-3. "Just being physical, playing physical football, man. Just playing our game up front the Mizzou football way, and eventually they gonna give up."

Oct 10, 2026; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers running back Jamal Roberts (20) scores against the Texas A&M Aggies during the second half of the game at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Roberts rushed for 222 yards and two touchdowns, making him the first Missouri running back since 2000 to rush for 200 or more yards in back-to-back games. This is also his fourth game of the season with 120 or more yards on the ground.

Faurot Field is Roberts' playground, no one else's. And when teams travel to Faurot, they get demoralized — Elko said "everything" about the loss disappointed him.

"Just being in the trenches and being grimy, man. Just having that dog in me, man. I I love to see it, man," Roberts said. "I love competition. It's just something that just drives me, and it's a thrill."

Yes, Missouri is still a step or two away from entering the SEC powerhouse tier. But after back-to-back convincing wins over conference opponents, Missouri has an identity as bullies: bullies that will wear you down, drag you along until your worst moment and then deliver the knockout blow.

"It wasn't pretty at times, but that's an old-fashioned SEC game right there," Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz said.

Missouri’s defense replicated its irreplicable performance against Florida by holding the Aggies to just six points, tied for their lowest point total in SEC play since 2020. A defense that had, for warranted reasons, raised concerns through the first month of the season, once again rose to the occasion and dominated its opponent.

Linebacker Nicholas Rodriguez pioneered a stout run defense that held the Aggies to just less than two yards per carry, accounting for 13 tackles. He entered the weekend leading the SEC in tackles with 50 and extended the gap between him and the rest of the conference with the performance.

Missouri’s pass rush also came up big, as defensive tackle Donta Simpson recorded his fourth sack of the season on a big third down, and EDGE Daeden Hopkins and Rodriguez teamed up for another third-down sack in the third quarter. Hopkins is up to 6.5 sacks on the season, good enough for third in the SEC. TAMU quarterback Marcel Reed was consistently pressured by the Tigers and forced into errant decisions and inaccurate passes, two of which led to interceptions from safeties Elijah Dotson and Trajen Greco.

Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz critized Greco earlier this season for poor play against Troy. In-house discussions helped Greco come to terms with the struggles and turn it around as Missouri threw itself into SEC play.

Oct 10, 2026; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers safety Trajen Greco (4) celebrates after intercepting the Texas A&M Aggies during the first half of the game at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

"I think he came to grips with that he could cut it loose, and that nobody was going to judge him inside our building about performance. We love Trajen Greco, who Trajen Greco is. And sometimes, as a player, you get tied into your performance, meaning that's how people view you as a person. And he came to grips with the fact that we love him, regardless, and we just needed him to play a little better. And he had his best week of practice... there was just a different level of confidence in who he was as a person and who he was as a player (against Texas A&M)."

Drinkwitz credits defensive coordinator Corey Batoon for the defense's recent surge, including Saturday's contest that he referred to as the best defensive performance outside of the Cotton Bowl since he took over as coach in 2020.

"He walks with a humility that most people don't understand. And he's a very special coach. He's a very special defensive coordinator," Drinkwitz said. "Y'all would be shocked the way he gets in that defense's ass... he leads that group, and we're really fortunate that he chose to stay with us. He had plenty of opportunities. I appreciate the board and our president recognizing his talents and knowing that continuity is huge."

Missouri’s offense once again got off to a slow start, gaining just 19 yards and going scoreless in its first three drives.

In the midst of the slow start, Quarterback Austin Simmons threw his first interception of the season, a pass intended for Cayden Lee but batted at the line of scrimmage by TJ Searcy and intercepted by Daymion Sanford.

But as Simmons and Lee hit their stride, so did the rest of the Tigers. Simmons found his favorite target for each of Missouri’s three first-down conversions, one of which was a slant over the middle that Lee took for 32 yards to the pylon put the Tigers up 7-3. Missouri held onto the lead for the rest of the contest.

"Cayden" does a great job as far as really making that extra effort in those plays," Simmons said. "You know, of course, it was a rough little look as far as the play went — that was a look he did not work on the entire week. But he knows how to make plays when the time comes."

Simmons completed 14 of his 28 passes for 147 yards, one touchdown and one interception on the day. Potentially his worst statistical performance of the season, but he made plays when called upon and credits his defense for keeping him in the game in the meantime.

Lee led the way with seven receptions for 94 yards and a touchdown. Although a quartet of pass-catchers each logged one reception, Donovan Olugbode was not one of them, finishing the day with zero catches for the first time this season.

Blake Craig drilled two of his three field goals, with both makes coming from 50 or more yards out. He’s made four consecutive field goals from such distance and is tied for first in the conference with four made field goals from 50-plus yards. His 38-yard attempt heading into halftime was blocked, the third time this season the Tigers have allowed his kick to be blocked.

Missouri (5-1, 2-1 SEC) will next play Ole Miss (3-1, 2-1) at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17, in Oxford, Mississippi, as Simmons, Lee and Chris Graves Jr. make their first return to Oxford since transferring out in the offseason.

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