No. 9 Missouri will face its most difficult test to date this season when the Tigers travel to College Station, Texas, to face No. 25 Texas A&M on Saturday.
The Tigers (4-0, 1-0 Southeastern Conference) played their first four games at home. Now they must take on the Aggies (4-1, 2-0) in front of a raucous crowd at Kyle Field.
“It’s going to be hot,” Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz said. “It’s supposed to be 92 degrees on Saturday, which would be the hottest game we’ve played in all year. Then, you’re going to have to combine that with 105,000 people who joined forces and trying to create distractions for your team. So you’re going to have to be able to block out the noise.”
Another issue for Missouri is preparing for two quarterbacks. Texas A&M coach Mike Elko said Conner Weigman could return to the starting role after missing the past three games with a shoulder injury.
“Not trying to play games with that,” Elko said. “It’s just one of those things with the shoulder. So he’ll be a game-time decision again this week, and we’ll see where it goes.”
ESPN reported Saturday morning that Weigman has improved enough throughout the week that he’s expected to dress and be available to play against the Tigers.
Missouri, meanwhile, was preparing for dual-threat quarterback Marcel Reed to get the start, according to Drinkwitz. Reed has completed 43 of 79 passes for 585 yards and six touchdowns and has run for 230 yards and two touchdowns.
“I know on their depth chart, it says the other kid is the starting quarterback, but, I mean, that’s just semantics in my opinion,” Drinkwitz said. “They clearly have a different identity with this guy as the quarterback, and they’ve developed an offense that fits around this system. It’s a lot different than the first game of the year.
“If they go with the other one, they go with the other one, but they’ve kind of already built the offense towards this, towards Marcel . . . we’ll anticipate Marcel being the starting quarterback. Marcel Reed is a little bit more mobile.”
The Aggies have averaged 5.5 yards per carry this season, with running backs Le’Veon Moss (471 yards, three touchdowns, 6.2 yards per carry) and Amari Daniels (211 yards, two TDs, 4.4 average) joining Reed in lead roles.
Moss has emerged as a more consistent performer.
“I think he would tell you he feels much better from a physical stature, strength, stamina standpoint than he ever has,” Elko said. “I think that’s allowed him to go out there and practice a lot more consistently. That’s tightening down his lines, his angles, his entry points into the run game.”
Missouri also has relied heavily on its running game during its 4-0 start. Nate Noel leads the way with 441 yards and a 6.4-yard average, and 10 different ball carriers have combined for a 5.2 average.
The Tigers have yet to get their passing game in high gear. Brady Cook is 92 for 134 for 946 yards and four touchdowns.
Top target Luther Burden III has caught 19 passes for 257 yards and four touchdowns. Theo Wease Jr. has 26 catches for 287 yards.
“They got an outstanding wide receiver core,” Elko said. “Obviously, Luther Burden is the headliner. He was over 1,200 yards last year. He’s about to go on pace to do the same thing again this year. An electric kid, they play him in the slot primarily.
“Then they got a ton of experience on the offensive line. They’ve got three guys who are in their third year as starters, so it’s a really good group.”
–Field Level Media
