Texas A&M Can Change the Entire Conversation at Missouri

With its first two Southeastern Conference competitions going as far off the rails as they could, Texas A&M football got back on track with its 14th victory over Arkansas in the last 15 years. Sure, the Razorbacks were clearly outmatched, and the Aggies were expected to pummel their old Southwest Conference rivals; a win like that can snap a spiraling team back into gear.

However, Arkansas is just the tip of the iceberg, as A&M begins one of the country's toughest stretches in league play with a road matchup against Missouri. While the Maroon and White have successfully taken care of the Tigers in head coach Mike Elko's first two years; the third time will likely be the hardest one yet, as quarterback Austin Simmons leads a well-rounded offensive machine.

But that's what being part of the SEC is all about: the opportunity to get the job done and prove critics wrong for judging too rashly at the start of the season. The Aggies will have the very same opportunity, as a win over head coach Eli Drinkwitz's squad on the road could throw Elko's right back into the conference championship race.

What's it going to take?

Oct 3, 2026; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies head coach Mike Elko looks on during a time-out in fourth quarter against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Realistically, a third loss in SEC play would almost certainly bury the Aggies too deep to recover in search of a championship game berth, so Elko's unit will have to be firing on all cylinders. With that in mind, what will actually go into pulling off the upset on the road? Well, they did it last year, but this year's circumstances are seemingly much different.

Quarterback Marcel Reed has been in the midst of a slump that has kept the Aggies away from explosive plays and the extra juice they've been missing to gather some rhythm. However, against Arkansas, he wasn't asked to do much, and the game plan was rather simple, which is what A&M will have to do to give it a chance to secure a win.

But without making Reed have to be Superman on every down, there will need to be some pressure alleviated by the running game, enter the Aggies' star true freshmen Carsyn Baker and KJ Edwards. The pair accounted for three rushing touchdowns against the Razorbacks and have the big-play ability they have been lacking with Ruebens Owens II as RB1.

Should the Aggies lean on their run game, it will open up a comfortable position for Reed to operate from and hit those simple passes without having to go deep every play. The A&M wide receiver room has been banged up pretty much all season, but their way of picking up yards after the catch could be the difference maker.

Defensively, the Aggies will need more of the takeaways churned out by the secondary this year, as the Aggies' four interceptions are already one more than they had all last season. Additionally, A&M's ability to score off said takeaways will be paramount against Simmons and his crew, as they scored 45 against Florida a week ago.

The ability to win on the road has been a fleeting commodity up until Elko took the reins of the program, but now the third-year shotcaller has plenty of experience in doing so. His first two seasons included some of the most memorable in recent A&M history, such as against Notre Dame and LSU in 2025. But now, in 2026, the Aggies need this win desperately to retake control of their destiny, and now they must seize the opportunity if they are to survive their conference slate.

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