Mizzou football vs. Texas A&M: 5 things to know about Tigers’ toughest test yet
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Mizzou hosts No. 3 Texas A&M Saturday, seeking first top-5 win since 2010.
- Freshman Matt Zollers starts at QB; staff will reshape offense to his strengths.
- Texas A&M tops nation in third-down defense; Mizzou must fix conversion woes.
The Tigers face a tall task coming off their bye week.
Mizzou will welcome No. 3 Texas A&M to Columbia this week, with the Tigers looking to jump back into the win column and gain a win over a top-5 opponent for the first time since 2010.
The Aggies are also coming off a bye week. Their last time out was a statement 49-25 win over LSU in Death Valley, which led to Brian Kelly’s dismissal. It was just the latest note in their path to the top of the SEC. The Aggies are undefeated through eight games.
It’s quite the game for freshman Matt Zollers to be thrown into for his first career start, right?
“It’s going to be a challenging matchup,” coach Eli Drinkwitz said Tuesday. “I think Mike Elko has done a tremendous job in two years (coaching) at Texas A&M. “
Here’s what to know ahead of kickoff...
Mizzou vs. Texas A&M game details
Kickoff: 2:30 p.m. Saturday
Where: Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium
TV: ABC
Radio: KMBZ (980) in Kansas City, KCMQ (96.7 or 103.1) in Columbia
Betting line: Texas A&M is a 7.5-point favorite (via Fanduel)
Over/under: 47.5
Five things to know before kickoff
1. Expect some different play-calling with Matt Zollers at QB. With Beau Pribula potentially missing several weeks, Zollers is the guy for Mizzou. Drinkwitz said moving forward the offense will be “playing to what (Zollers’) strengths are,” which could look different compared to what we’ve seen thus far.
“There were things that we thought Beau did really well — that’s what we kind of emphasized — and there’s things that Matt did well that we will emphasize moving forward,” Drinkwitz said.
2. Drinkwitz has been incredibly complimentary of quarterback Marcel Reed. Remember Mizzou’s last game against Texas A&M? Drinkwitz definitely does.
“Last year got me in trouble, because I said (Reed) was the future and they played Conner (Weigman) and he killed us,” Drinkwitz joked, then adding: “I’ve believed in Marcel Reed for a long time. I was first on the bandwagon. He’s a really good player. You can tell the guys love playing for him. They love playing around him. “
Reed has thrown for 17 touchdowns this season, while running in six more. Drinkwitz said he thinks Reed is playing a “Heisman-type season.”
3. Another week of third-down woes? Texas A&M leads the country in third-down defense, allowing a 22.2% conversion rate. Mizzou’s offense may be converting at 50.4% on the season, but that hasn’t been the case of late. The Tigers have been 14-for-44 on third down over their last three games, converting at 31.8%.
“Do not want to be in third downs against these guys,” Drinkwitz said. “They do an unbelievable job.”
4. The Aggies’ run defense has been tested lately. Texas A&M surrendered 224 yards on the ground to LSU, and 259 to Arkansas the game prior. It seems like an opportunity for Mizzou to just let Ahmad Hardy run.
5. It’s been over a decade since Mizzou beat Texas A&M. The Tigers got the win at College Station in 2014, but the two matchups since have been all A&M. Across the 2021 and 2024 matchups, Mizzou was outscored 76-24.
