No. 17/19-ranked Missouri football’s last chance to make a run at a College Football Playoff berth fell by the wayside Saturday in Columbia, where the Tigers lost 38-17 to undefeated and No. 3/3-ranked Texas A&M.

Missouri Tigers tight end Jude James (89) is not able to bring in the pass while defended by Texas A&M Aggies defensive end Nana Boadi-Owusu (12) on Oct. 11, 2025 at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium in Columbia, Mo.

Saturday's matchup is the SEC game of the week, as it's the only ranked contest in the conference this weekend. Although A&M enters as the favorite, they’re firmly on upset watch due to Missouri’s strengths aligning well against the Aggies on both sides of the ball.

Junior tight end Brett Norfleet will not play due to a shoulder injury he suffered Oct. 25 in a 17-10 loss to Vanderbilt, per a report from ESPN’s Pete Thamel. Norfleet has accumulated 224 receiving yards on 26 catches and a team-leading five receiving touchdowns in the most consistent year of his career.

Sophomore Josiah Trotter has emerged as the leader of the unit, leading the team with 53 total tackles from the middle linebacker spot. Beside him, senior Khalil Jacobs has added 26 tackles, giving the Tigers an experienced duo at the heart of their defense.

Expert recap and game analysis of the Texas A&M Aggies vs. Missouri Tigers NCAAF game from November 8, 2025 on ESPN.

Monday's win over Howard saw the Tigers take control in the paint. Mizzou scored 46 points in the paint, exhibiting the same size advantage down low that it did against Kansas State in the exhibition victory. Senior center Shawn Phillips Jr. led the Tigers on offense, scoring 16 points and grabbing 11 rebounds in his debut.

Missouri basketball survived a scare from Southeast Missouri State on Friday night behind a 29-point performance from All-SEC forward Mark Mitchell.