No. 25 Texas A&M Demolishes No. 9 Missouri in Signature Win

The Texas A&M Aggies secured the first signature win of the Mike Elko era Saturday against the Missouri Tigers, and did so in dominating fashion.

No. 25 Texas A&M put a beatdown on No. 9 Missouri from start to finish in College Station before finishing with a 41-10 win. Aggies quarterback Conner Weigman made his return from a three-game absence and got the start over Marcel Reed, but it was the Texas A&M running game that helped power the offense while the Aggies' elite defensive front set the tone on the other side of the ball.

"It's a big game. Top 10 team coming into our house," Weigman told ESPN following the game. "Come set the tone early, and that's how we're going to play the rest of the season."

Missouri quarterback Brady Cook finished 13 of 31 passing for 186 yards and one touchdown. Tigers star receiver Luther Burden III led all pass-catchers with seven catches for 82 yards.

It was complete domination for A&M. The Aggies out-gained the Tigers 512 to 254, highlighted by a 236 to 68 yardage edge on the ground.

Texas A&M running back Le'Veon Moss was a major reason why. He finished with 12 carries for 138 yards and three touchdowns. This included a 75-yard touchdown on the first play of the second half, which essentially sealed Mizzou's fate with nearly two full quarters to play. Amari Daniels added nine carries for 34 yards and two scores of his own.

But it was Weigman that helped guide the offense early before the running game took over. Getting the start over Marcel Reed, who had led the Aggies to three straight wins, Weigman finished 18 of 22 passing for 276 yards, no touchdowns and no picks. He found Terry Bussey three times for 76 yards while Noah Thomas added three catches for 65 yards.

"Just stick with the game plan," Weigman told ESPN. "I trust what our coaches do. Guys got tremendously better over those three weeks when I was out, and just ride with my guys, give it to my playmakers, let them go make plays."

The Tigers got the wrong end of the whistle on the game's first drive after a questionable pass interference flag against the Aggies was picked up. Texas A&M proceeded to easily drive down the field on its opening possession of the game, which ended with a one-yard touchdown from Daniels.

It was all downhill for the Tigers from there.

After adding a field goal, the Aggies went up 10. Mizzou appeared to have life after Cook found Burden III for a 75-yard touchdown, but a penalty on the Tigers called the score back. This was the last time Missouri showed any notable kind of life aside from a somewhat meaningless 59-yard touchdown from Theo Wease in the third quarter. The Aggies didn't let their foot off the gas the remainder of the game.

Following its bye week. Texas A&M will look to carry this momentum into Starkville against Mississippi State on Oct. 19.