You ever have one of those Saturdays where everything that can go wrong just... does? That was the Missouri Tigers on October 5, 2024. People expected a heavyweight fight. Mizzou walked into College Station ranked No. 9 in the country, undefeated, and looking like a legitimate playoff dark horse.
Then they ran into a buzzsaw.
Kyle Field is a nightmare for visitors even on a good day, but the Mizzou vs Texas A&M football 2024 matchup wasn't just a loss for the Tigers; it was a 41-10 demolition that felt even worse than the final score. Honestly, the 97,049 fans in attendance probably didn't expect the Aggies to jump out to a 24-0 halftime lead. But that’s exactly what Mike Elko’s squad did. They didn't just win; they essentially took Missouri's top-10 ranking and threw it into the Brazos River.
The Conner Weigman Factor
Coming into the week, nobody really knew who was going to take the snaps for A&M. Conner Weigman had been sidelined with a shoulder injury for three games. Marcel Reed had been filling in and doing a solid job, leading the Aggies to three straight wins.
When Weigman trotted out for the first series, Mizzou looked completely unprepared for his efficiency. He didn't look rusty. Not even a little bit. He finished the day 18-for-22 for 276 yards. That’s a completion percentage of nearly 82%. You've gotta give credit to the Aggie offensive line—the "Maroon Goons"—who kept him clean all afternoon.
Mizzou’s defense, which had been hyped up as one of the best in the SEC, couldn't find an answer for the RPO looks and the quick strikes to Terry Bussey.
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Why the Run Game Flipped the Script
If you want to know why this game got out of hand, look at the trenches. Football is a simple game sometimes. If you can’t run and you can’t stop the run, you’re toast.
Texas A&M absolutely bullied Missouri at the point of attack. Le'Veon Moss was a human highlight reel, racking up 138 yards and three touchdowns on just 12 carries. His 75-yard touchdown run on the very first play of the second half was basically the dagger. It turned a "maybe they can come back" vibe into a "let's beat the traffic" situation for the visiting fans.
On the flip side, Missouri’s ground game was non-existent.
- Nate Noel, who had been a star for the Tigers all season, was held to just 30 yards.
- As a team, Mizzou finished with a measly 68 rushing yards.
- The Aggies outgained the Tigers 512 to 254 in total offense.
It’s hard to win in the SEC when you’re averaging 2.3 yards per carry. Brady Cook was under constant duress, getting sacked six times. When he did find time, the windows were tight. A 75-yard touchdown pass to Luther Burden III in the first quarter—which would have tied the game at 7-7—was wiped off the board due to an ineligible receiver downfield penalty. That was the moment the momentum shifted and never came back.
That Ineligible Receiver Penalty: The Turning Point
Let's talk about that penalty for a second. It's the kind of play that haunts coaches. Burden is arguably the most electric receiver in college football. He got loose, Cook found him, and the Mizzou sideline was celebrating.
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Flag.
Instead of a tie game, they ended up punting. A&M scored on the ensuing drive. It was a 14-point swing in a game where Mizzou already looked shaky. Mike Elko’s defense, led by Nic Scourton, realized they could pin their ears back and just hunt Cook. Scourton was a menace, recording 1.5 sacks and living in the backfield.
What Most People Get Wrong About This Game
A lot of national pundits called Missouri "frauds" after this result. That's kinda harsh, but you can see why. They struggled to beat Vanderbilt in double overtime a couple of weeks prior, and then they got embarrassed in their first true road test.
But looking back, this was more about Texas A&M finding its identity.
The Aggies had a rough start to the year losing to Notre Dame, but by the time October rolled around, they were clicking. They proved that their defensive front was elite and that Weigman, when healthy, provides a ceiling that few teams in the conference can match. Missouri didn't necessarily play "bad" in a vacuum; they got physically overwhelmed by a team that was bigger and faster in the spots that mattered.
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Key Stats from the Mizzou vs Texas A&M Football 2024 Box Score
If you're a numbers person, these are the ones that actually tell the story of the 41-10 blowout.
First off, third downs were a disaster for Eli Drinkwitz. Mizzou started the game 0-for-11 on third-down conversions. You aren't winning anything with those numbers. They finally finished 5-of-15, but most of those conversions came when the game was already decided.
A&M was 5-for-5 in the red zone. They didn't settle for field goals when it mattered; they punched it in. Amari Daniels had two 1-yard touchdown runs in the first half that just sucked the air out of the Tigers' defense.
Actionable Takeaways for the Future
If you’re a fan or an analyst looking back at the Mizzou vs Texas A&M football 2024 game, here are the lessons that stick:
- Road environments are the ultimate equalizer. Missouri’s high-powered offense looked completely different in the noise of Kyle Field compared to the comforts of Columbia.
- Health at QB is everything. The return of Conner Weigman changed the geometry of the A&M offense. It forced Missouri to respect the deep ball, which opened up those massive lanes for Le'Veon Moss.
- The "Ineligible Man Downfield" rule is a killer. Modern RPO offenses live on the edge of this rule. One yard too far by a guard can negate a season-defining play.
- Trenches still win championships (or at least big SEC games). Mizzou's offensive line was exposed. If you can't protect a veteran like Brady Cook, his experience doesn't matter.
Missouri eventually bounced back and had a decent season, but this Saturday in College Station served as a permanent reminder of how quickly things can go sideways in the SEC. For Texas A&M, it was the "statement game" that proved the Mike Elko era was ahead of schedule.
Keep an eye on the rushing attempts in the next meeting. Usually, whoever wins the line of scrimmage in this series walks away with the trophy. In 2024, that wasn't just a win—it was a total takeover by the 12th Man.
To see how this affected the rest of the season, check the updated SEC standings and bowl projections, as this single Saturday shifted the trajectory for both programs significantly. Missouri had to recalibrate their entire offensive approach, while A&M used it as a springboard into the top 15.