Why Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas A&M Make Sense as Mizzou's Annual Opponents

Missouri will see three competetive teams each year over the next four seasons.

Sep 20, 2025; Columbia, Missouri, USA; The Missouri Tigers players run out on the field against the South Carolina Gamecocks prior to a game at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

The SEC recently announced every team's three annual opponents for the next four seasons. For the Missouri Tigers, that means facing Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas A&M four times over the next four years.

For the most part, those are teams that the Tigers have some sort of history with. Whether it's Oklahoma and Texas A&M from the Big 12 days or Arkansas as their distinguished SEC rival, these three teams, for the most part, make sense.

For these coaches and teams, not much is going to change. If anything, they're lives will be harder and so will the level of competition. By playing every team in the SEC through each two-year span, there's a higher chance that the Tigers, and everyone else in the SEC will play the highest-level teams in the conference.

"You play three permanents, and then you play six in 2026 and then play the three permanents, and you play the other six in 2027, so I don't know that it matters," head coach Eli Drinkwitz said on Tuesday.

The level of play in the SEC has seen a drastic increase recently and additions like Texas and Oklahoma, a team the Tigers will see frequently over four years, were already very talented.

"I don't know what anybody was hoping for," Drinkwitz said. "It's not like there's a lot of bad teams in the SEC. Everybody's got good players, everybody's got draft players, everybody's got four and five-star recruits, everybody's got money in the portal."

Here's a glance into Missouri's three new annual opponents and why they make sense in that spot.

Arkanasas

Nov 30, 2024; Columbia, Missouri, USA; The Missouri Tigers mascot Truman and Arkansas Razorbacks mascot Big Red get into a snowball fight during the second half of the game at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

This game was always going to be a given. Since having a trophy and fun name given to the annual matchup in 2014, the Tigers and Razorbacks have played every year since.

It's a game where the Tigers have typically prevailed, winning eight of the last 10, but many of those games have been close and entertaining. Even if it's a rivalry that's been semi-challenging for fans on both sides to embrace, it still has its entertaining moments.

Record: Missouri leads 12-4

Last meeting: In typical fashion, the two met to close out the season in 2024. Missouri won 28-21, a game that was far too close for comfort, which also perfectly described what the rest of the Tigers' season was like.

Fun fact: This isn't exactly fun or a fact, but not everyone believes the Battle Line rivalry is a rivalry. Ask about any Missouri or Arkansas fan.

Oklahoma

Sep 24, 2011; Norman, OK, USA; Missouri Tigers quarterback James Franklin (1) is chased out of the pocket by Oklahoma Sooners linebacker Tom Wort (21) in the third quarter at Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. The Sooners beat the Tigers 38-28. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-Imagn Images | Matthew Emmons-Imagn Images

Despite a rocky first season in the conference, Oklahoma is a team that screams "SEC". A quick 3-0 start to this season has proved that.

Last year's matchup between the Tigers and Sooners was a good reminder of why old college football rivalries are the best ones. It was one of the more entertaining games of Missouri's season and it had the energy and flair of an old Big 12 matchup.

If that's not a good enough reason for this game to continue playing, then what is? There's deep history between the squads that dates back to 1902. That was the same year the Rose Bowl played its first-ever game, if anyone's taking notes.

The fact that these two squads have met just under 100 times over the last 123 years should be reason enough to keep it going. In fact, it might be the game that made the most sense out of anyone else in the conference.

Record: Oklahoma leads 25-67-5

Last meeting: The Tigers won one of the most thrilling games of the Drinkwitz era in 30-23 fashion, with the game-winning score coming from a scoop-and-score courtesy of Zion Young.

Fun fact: In 1930s rendition of this matchup in Norman, the game ended in a 0-0 tie. If one thing's certain, it's that that hasn't happened very much, if at all.

Texas A&M

Oct 5, 2024; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies defensive lineman Albert Regis (17) stops Missouri Tigers running back Marcus Carroll (9) in the fourth quarter at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images. | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

Of the three teams selected, Texas A&M as an annual opponent makes the least sense. The two teams have met 18 times, five of which occurred while both teams were members of the SEC.

It's been lopsided in favor of the Aggies when the two squads have met, however. Missouri hasn't won since 2014, a game headlined by Maty Mauk at quarterback and Russell Hansbrough at running back.

Both teams joined the SEC at the same time in 2012 and there has been a discrepancy in wins since. Since 2012, the Aggies are 205-59 and the Tigers are 96-68. Missouri has more 10 or more win seasons since joining the conference, but the important thing is that both teams have found success in the conference.

In all seriousness, the matchup being an annual one doesn't exactly make the most sense. Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko even agrees.

Texas A&M coach Mike Elko said what a lot of Aggie fans probably thought when they learned Texas, LSU and Missouri are set to be their three annual opponents: “Missouri, I’m not sure how that fit in, but it is what it is.” pic.twitter.com/jQO3AjeoDP

— Carter Karels (@CarterKarels) September 22, 2025

Regardless, it will be a good matchup between the two teams. In the second season with Elko at the helm, they're off to a 3-0 start. Missouri's also on a good run of winning over the last few years, so the game should consistently be a good one.

Record: Texas A&M leads 11-7

Last meeting: The Tigers got blown out of the water the last time the two squads met, losing 41-10 in 2024 on the road.

Fun fact: Missouri first faced Texas A&M in 1957, a game that ended in a 28-0 loss. It took the Tigers six more tries following that to secure a win. They didn't score a single point against the Aggies in their first three meetings, either.