COLLEGE STATION, TX – The return of starting quarterback Conner Weigman and a virtuoso performance by the Wrecking Crew defense propelled the Aggies past a Top 10 ranked Missouri squad and into the College Football Playoff discussion during the 41-10 win at Kyle Field. 

Weigman, who missed the last three games due to injury, was 18 of 22 for 276 yards while adding 33 yards and two key third down conversions on the ground. Nic Scourton led an Aggie defense that accounted for six sacks and eight tackles for loss. Texas A&M (5-1) gained 510 yards in the win compared to 254 for Mizzou (4-1). The Aggies averaged 6.5 yards a carry while racking up 236 yards and five touchdowns on 36 carries. The Tigers averaged 2.3 yards a carry with 68 tards on 30 attempts.

The domination began from the opening bell as Texas A&M built a 17-0 lead early in the second quarter after each team had three possessions. The Aggies gained 274 yards on 33 plays during that time, while Mizzou registered only 59 yards on 14 plays. 

“We challenged (our team) to come out and play a complete game, and I think we did that,” Elko said. “This is a very good Missouri team and I knew we needed a complete effort. We started fast and stayed on them.” 

The Tigers looked like a football team ready to quit after Le’Veon Moss stormed 75 yards for a touchdown run on the first play of the second half to extend Texas A&M’s lead to 31-0. The good news for Mizzou was that the 12th Man had plenty of white towels for the Tigers to waive. 

Elko was hired to put Texas A&M on the national map. Jimbo Fisher won plenty of press conferences and recruiting battles, but not enough big games. The Aggies were quiet all season, avoiding any drama or unnecessary headlines. Elko went about establishing a culture and a standard. The fourth quarter goal-line stand by the defense up 41-7 eventually resulted in a Mizzou field goal and message sent by the Aggies – they’re a team to watch as SEC play intensifies. 

“I told y’all at my opening press conference that we want to be a blue-collar program,” Elko said. “The effort is a starting point to that.”

Suddenly, the Aggies are a team to watch for the College Football Playoff. The expanded field of 12 teams means that three or four SEC squads will get an invite. Texas A&M is on a five-game winning streak with a Top 10 win on the resumé. Ten wins is likely enough for any squad with an SEC or Big Ten logo on their jerseys. The only road games left on the schedule for Texas A&M are Mississippi State (1-4), South Carolina (3-1), and Auburn (2-3). Win those and split home games against LSU and Texas and a 10-2 record and a ticket to the CFP is in hand. 

That might sound absurd, but the Aggies possess the parts to make a run. The defense is excellent. The Wrecking Crew has 23 tackles for loss and 14 sacks on the season. They’re allowing 15.66 points per game over three SEC games and haven’t allowed more than 20 since the Week 1 loss to Notre Dame. Scourton had 2.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. Dalton Brooks led the team with six tackles. 

That version of Weigman also makes the Aggies one of the more dangerous offenses in college football. He completed over 80 percent of his passes and ended the game with a QB rating of 187.2. Three different receivers had three catches. Moss ran for 138 yards and three touchdowns. Amari Daniels added two scores on the ground. 

Tier 1 of the SEC includes Alabama, Georgia, Texas, Tennessee, and maybe Ole Miss. The Aggies only play Texas from that group, and it is at Kyle Field. With nearly every other team facing a round robin like gauntlet down the stretch, Texas A&M can battle on the edges of the SEC and build a fancy enough record to draw CFP attention. The Aggies are clearly the head of Tier 2 alongside LSU and the final six games of the season could prove they're ready to challenge the top teams in the conference. 

But don’t expect Elko to take the bait and change course. His team responded from the Notre Dame loss with five wins. He knows the same mindset is required to build on the recent success. 

“We’re in a growth mindset,” Elko said. “We’re going to put our head down and work on getting better. We are trying to grow every single day. We’re where we want to be right now, but we still have half a season to play.”