Texas A&M Faces a Much Different Offensive Test at Missouri

After threatening to fall under .500 for the first time in the Mike Elko era, the Texas A&M Aggies bounced back at home with a major win over their rivals, the Arkansas Razorbacks.

While the Aggies looked perhaps the best they have this season since week two, the question remains whether the win was a turning point in the year or just false hope that the program is back to its winning ways.

That will be tested in week six, as the Aggies will face the Missouri Tigers, who run a different offensive scheme than the program has seen, with a lethal rushing attack and very few turnovers.

Making the Most of Possessions

Texas A&M Aggies safety Marcus Ratcliffe (3) and teammates celebrate the win against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Kyle Field. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

For the Aggies, while the offense has struggled at times this season, the defense hasn't come around fully on the season yet either. The two finally worked in tandem in the win over the Razorbacks but now will need to replicate that success against the Tigers in week six.

Going against their offense, however, leaves little margin for error. Quarterback Austin Simmons does not play a risky game and has yet to throw an interception this season, despite having the 22nd-most passing yards in the country with 1,287.

That same mentality trickles down to the rest of the team as well, where they have only fumbled five times this season and have only lost two of them this year. That gives the Tigers a 0.3 percent turnover rate on offense, which ranks No. 3 in the country.

On top of limiting turnovers, the Tigers control the pace of the game, using an effective ground game that bleeds drives. Jamal Roberts, the starting running back with Ahmad Hardy out, is second in the country in carries, with 113.

He is 6th in college football in rushing yards with 606 yards, while being tied for 9th in rushing touchdowns with six. The rest of the offense, however, has not caught up in the touchdown department, as the Tigers rank 116th in red zone score percentage, converting 73.69 percent of the time.

For the Aggies, the Tigers will be looking for long, drawn -out drives, but a bend-don't-break style of defending it should play a big role. Keeping them out of the end zone and limiting scoring opportunities will play a massive role.

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