Texas A&M football did nothing to lose its spot as the highest-ranked SEC team in the College Football Playoff projections with a convincing win Saturday.
The 38-17 result was a bit boring in the fact that A&M led by two or more scores for the majority of the game. Missouri couldn’t pass much behind third-string quarterback Matt Zollers and one of the country’s best running attacks had to be put on ice for stretches while the Tigers attempted a comeback.Â
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But there were moments of excitement. A long catch and run for a touchdown; a fumble that almost looked like an interception (if such a thing were possible on a backwards pass) and fake punt that went more than 30 yards highlighted Texas A&M’s ninth win in a row to begin the season.
Up next for the Aggies: trying to protect that first-place 6-0 SEC record again South Carolina, which sent A&M into a tailspin with a 44-20 upset last season.
Before we get there, let’s look at the grades from the Aggies’ Week 11 victory at Missouri:Â Â
Texas A&M safety Dalton Brooks (left) returns a fumble as Missouri tight end Jude James tries to make the tackle in the first half Nov. 8, 2025 at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium in Columbia.
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Here’s how the Aggies graded in their Week 6 victory:
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Texas A&M football Week 11 grades
Quarterbacks: B+
After starting 4-for-8 passing through the two scoreless drives for A&M, Marcel Reed settled in nicely. He completed six straight passes on the first touchdown drive of the day, ending with a well-placed throw while moving to his left on a 4-yard strike to Ashton Bethel-Roman. The dual-threat QB didn’t run much but did dazzle on a 28-yard scamper.
Reed didn’t put the ball in harm’s way or push it downfield; the long play of the day was a 48-yard touchdown that started as a screen. More impressive was the fact that the screen came on what appeared to be an audible at the line against a Missouri blitz. With a final line of 20-for-29 (68.9%) passing for 221 yards and two touchdowns, Reed looks like he has full command of the offense.Â
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Running backs: B
It didn’t start pretty, but it ended well for Texas A&M on the ground. The Aggies were outrushed through the first half, 91-23. Twelve attempts split evenly among EJ Smith, Jamarion Morrow and Rueben Owens II yielded 17 yards.Â
Yet, in the end, a diverse A&M rushing attack ran for 243 yards — 141 coming from its backs. Owens led the way with two touchdowns and 98 second-half yards, including a 57-yard score. Morrow never really got it going, but Smith scored and ripped off a 17-yard gain. Owens had the group’s only two receptions.
Texas A&M running back Rueben Owens II (4) celebrates a touchdown run with quarterback Marcel Reed (10) and tight end Nate Boerkircher (87) in the fourth quarter Nov. 8, 2025 at Memorial Stadium in Columbia.
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Receivers: B-
KC Concepcion had 84 yards on four catches, including the aforementioned screen pass that went for a score. Mario Craver was also heavily involved in the quick-pass game with six catches for 59 yards.
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They, along with Reed, came up big in helping A&M go 7-for-15 on third downs (including Bethel-Roman’s touchdown). The three each had a play of 20 yards or more, showing off impressive yards-after-reception skills. They combined to catch 12 of Reed’s 20 completions on the night.
Tight ends: B
This group is probably a bigger influence in the run game than anything, but they helped keep the chains moving Saturday. Three tight ends combined for five catches and 38 yards. Theo Melin Öhrström led the way with two catches for 19 yards.
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Offensive line: B+
Another day, another relatively clean game from the big guys up front. Missouri sacked Marcel Reed just once on what appeared to be a well-defended screen play. There was a holding penalty, five tackles for loss allowed and that quiet first half, but the run blocking got its act together in the final two quarters.
On Owens’ long touchdown run, the running back was nearly untouched on his way to paydirt. On the final three drives of the game, the offensive line paved the way for a run game that chewed more than 9 minutes of the fourth-quarter clock.
Defensive line: C
Cashius Howell collected a sack for the fifth straight game. A&M was able to pressure Matt Zollers but only brought him down for sacks twice. Still, they were key in holding Missouri to under 100 yards.Â
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As for the run defense? Four tackles for loss came from linemen, but it wasn’t pretty overall. Head coach/defensive play-caller Mike Elko laid into his team postgame for allowing two 100-yard rushers for Missouri and a slew of big plays on the ground. On Ahmad Hardy’s touchdown run, for example, A&M lineman did a poor job maintaining their gaps and the 1,000-yard rusher just had to dodge one man before winning a foot race to the end zone. On Jamal Roberts’ short touchdown run, an A&M lineman was dragged into the end zone.
Missouri’s Jamal Roberts (right) runs against Texas A&M’s Marcus Ratcliffe (center-right), Tyler Onyedim (center-left) and Taurean York in the first half Oct. 11, 2025 at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium in Columbia, Mo.
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Linebackers: C
The linebackers also shoulder some blame for that run defense. During the aforementioned Hardy touchdown, he was able to get outside A&M’s linebackers without a hand being laid on him. On Roberts’ plunge from inside the 5, linebackers did a poor job getting downhill and when they did, they too were carried toward the goal line.Â
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Daymion Sanford had a sack and two tackles for a loss, but it wasn’t a great performance against one of the SEC’s top rushing attacks. Taurean York tied a season-low with two tackles and deflected a pass attempt.
Defensive backs: A-
Missouri had very little time to pass the ball and when the blocking did hold up, the receivers found little room to work. Just one Tigers player had more than one reception, but coaches might want to keep him in mind moving forward. Freshman Donovan Olugbode was the passing offense for Missouri, setting a career high with 74 yards on three catches.Â
Safety Dalton Brooks had a big game, recovering a “fumble” on an errant pass from Zollers and converting on a fake punt. Cornerbacks Will Lee III and Dezz Ricks each had a pass defensed. Brooks and fellow safety Marcus Ratcliffe tied for the team lead with six tackles.
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Special teams: A-
The fake punt to Brooks was a thing of beauty. Missouri was slated to get the ball back down 21-7 in a game that felt closer than it should be and had just forced A&M into its first three-and-out. On a fourth-and-3 from the A&M 34, Brooks took a direct snap 40-plus yards into the red zone.Â
A&M would finish the drive with Randy Bond’s only field goal of the day. He was 5-for-5 on extra-point tries. Tyler White dropped three of his four punts inside the 20 and averaged just under 40 yards per attempt. The explosive A&M return game was held to three pedestrian attempts as Concepcion had only one opportunity to run back a punt.
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Missouri’s DaMarion Fowlkes tore off a 55-yard kick return to hold this unit out of A-plus territory.
Texas A&M head football coach Mike Elko argues a call during the second half Nov. 8, 2025, against Missouri in Columbia, Mo.
L.G. Patterson/Associated Press
Coaching staff: B+
The Aggies didn’t play with their food and that’s a credit to the coaching staff. Facing an undermanned Missouri team on the road, A&M never trailed. And when the Tigers tried to fight back late, Reed and Co. continued to score to keep them at arm’s length.
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Penalties reared again with eight flags for 65 yards. After a few weeks mitigating the mistakes, that was the most accepted Aggies infractions since the Mississippi State game.
But A&M won on third down once again, completing 7 of its first 14 tries on offense (before its final possession) and holding Missouri to 5-for-13 on defense. The fake punt helped stifle Missouri momentum, and the Aggies continue to keep opposing offenses and defenses off balance.Â