Grading positional matchups: How does Texas A&M football match up with Missouri Tigers?
Texas A&M football has a chance to really gain some momentum for this season with a win on Saturday over the Missouri Tigers. This is a top ten team, coming to your stadium, who is very beatable.
However, we’ve seen the Aggies lose to teams far more beatable from time to time. Mike Elko and this staff seem to have done a much better job so far in getting their talent to play up to their potential, but the beginning of this season has still seen some fits and starts for the Ags.
So, let’s get specific. How exactly does this Aggie team measure up, by position, against the Tigers? As a reminder, I will grade each matchup on a scale of 1 to 5, based on how much of a mismatch or how little of a gap there is between the teams. If it’s even, I call it a push. Let’s jump in.
Positional matchups for Texas A&M football vs. Mizzou: Tiger pass game vs. A&M pass defense
The Tigers have some real weapons on the outside, including Luther Burden and Theo Wease, but they have yet to really put together an impressive performance through the air—given who they’ve played, I mean. Against Murray State, Buffalo, Boston College, and Vanderbilt, the most YPA we’ve seen out of the Tigers is 8.8. No team has yet reached that mark against the Aggies, even with all the explosives they’ve given up, and more often than not teams fail to reach their season average in that mark.
Matchup advantage: Aggies by 2
Positional matchups for Texas A&M football vs. Mizzou: Tiger run game vs. A&M run defense
The rush game has been the best part of the Missouri offense, and it has conversely been the best part of the Aggie defense. In the last three games, the Aggies have given up 2.1, 3.9, and 3.3 yards per carry, and are allowing fewer than 60% of opponent averages on the ground. If that trend continues, it could be a very long day for the Tigers on the ground.
Matchup advantage: Aggies by 4
Positional matchups for Texas A&M football vs. Mizzou: Tiger OL vs. A&M pass rush
The Aggie pass rush has begun to really make an impact after lying dormant (at least, as far as the stat sheet goes) for the first few games. Missouri has done a decent job at not giving up too many sacks, but they haven’t seen anything like this A&M DL yet. I have no doubt that Drinkwitz will be scheming around this, but even that fact means they’re affecting the game.
Matchup advantage: Aggies by 3