In less than a week, Missouri football stars Luther Burden III, Brady Cook and Kristian Williams will represent the Tigers at SEC Media Days in Dallas.
In less than a month, they’ll report with their Tigers teammates for preseason camp.
And in 50 days, Mizzou will kickoff its 2024 season Thursday, Aug. 29 on Faurot Field against Murray State — a season seemingly bursting with potential for Eli Drinkwitz’s team.
Mizzou is coming off the back of an 11-2 campaign that was capped with a Cotton Bowl win over Ohio State and a top-10 ranking in the end-of-year polls. Another run like that, and the Tigers would be primed for a berth into the College Football Playoff as it expands to 12 teams for the first time.
The schedule appears to set up favorably, with MU either playing at home in Columbia, a team it beat last season or an opponent with a new head coach in 2024 in each of its SEC games this season.
But among those are a few, as you’d expect, extremely difficult tests.
One of those shapes up to come in College Station, Texas, where the Tigers will face a new-look Texas A&M team in MU’s fifth game of the season, which is part of the Week 6 slate.
Here’s what you need to know about the Aggies as they enter a new era:
More: Missouri football opponent preview: Vanderbilt’s strengths, weaknesses entering 2024
Who are the opposing names to know when Missouri football visits Texas A&M?
Quarterback: Conner Weigman, after sitting out last season with a foot injury, is back in the starter’s seat … and he is a potential name to know for Heisman Trophy contention. The QB is a former five-star prospect, and before going down with an injury in Week 4 last season threw for eight touchdowns, two interceptions and an average of 303 yards in three games.
Offensive playmakers: Jahdae Walker and Moose Mohammed III will be the returning threats at wide receiver, likely stepping into bigger roles as the Aggies lost a top wide receiver to both the portal and the NFL Draft.
The Aggies split reps between three running backs last season — Amari Daniels; Le’Veon Moss; Reuben Owens — and all are back for another year. They combined for 14 rushing touchdowns and 1,448 ground yards last year.
Defensive playmakers: A&M’s work in the transfer portal and on the recruiting trail bodes particularly well for two position groups on defense: Corners and edge rushers.
Purdue defensive end Nic Scourton was a big-time get, as he tallied 10 sacks as part of 15 tackles for loss last season. Kansas City native and Bowling Green transfer Cashius Howell is making the step from the MAC to the SEC after recording 9.5 sacks last season. That could be a stout duo for the Mizzou offensive line to ward off.
At cornerback, the Aggies lured experience in the form of Kansas State’s Will Lee III and Florida’s Jaydon Hill. There’s also a lot of potential as Alabama freshman and former top-40 prospect Dezz Ricks transferred in, joining the No. 1 corner in the Class of 2024, Terry Bussey.
What did the offseason look like for Texas A&M?
Key additions: Scourton (DE); Lee III (CB); Scooby Williams (LB)
Key losses: Walter Nolan (DT); LT Overton (DT); Evan Stewart (WR); Edgerrin Cooper (DE) Ainias Smith (WR)
Key coaching changes: Mike Elko (HC, Duke); Collin Klein (OC, Kansas State); Jay Bateman (DC, Florida)
If first-year Texas A&M coach Mike Elko brings the traits that made his tenure at Duke succesfull into College Station, the Aggies might look a whole lot different.
But in his first season, he’ll be working with a roster that’s undergone a ton of turnover.
A&M had about as many ins and outs as any team in the league. Thirty-one players transferred out, including star defensive tackle Walter Nolan to Ole Miss and Evan Stewart to Oregon. Four players were drafted, including star wideout Ainias Smith.
Twenty-eight players transferred in, including Scourton from Purdue and linebacker Scooby Williams from Florida. The Aggies have the No. 16 recruiting class in the country this cycle, led by Bussey and buoyed by eight four-star prospects.
Collin Klein joined Elko’s staff as the offensive coordinator after seven total seasons in various roles at Kansas State. Jay Bateman, once North Carolina’s defensive coordinator, will call defensive plays for the Aggies following two seasons as the inside linebackers coach for Florida.
Early forecast
This shapes up to be one of the swing games on Missouri’s schedule. Win this matchup, and Mizzou — barring any early season surprises — is firmly in the College Football Playoff conversation.
A 10-2 regular season is probably enough but not guaranteed to be among the top-11 Power-conference teams in December. Texas A&M, along with a road trip to Alabama and a home matchup versus Oklahoma, are the games in which Missouri needs to find a minimum of one win to have any hope of a playoff berth.
It’s tough to adjudicate what A&M will look like in Elko’s first season. With Mizzou, LSU and Texas on their league schedule, the Aggies have a tough road to mounting a legitimate SEC title…
