Texas picked up a fairly stress-free 31-3 win against Mississippi State last week. The one downside was that several starters got banged up, including Cam Coleman, Hollywood Smothers and Graceson Littleton. We’ll see how many are able to play against Missouri this week.
Missouri had a similarly stress-free 34-10 win at Arkansas last week. Now, Texas will travel to Columbia for what is essentially a CFP elimination game. Many will argue that a 9-3 team will make the CFP this year. However, no 9-3 team has ever made the playoff. This will be just the second time this season Texas has played a true road game, and the Longhorns’ offensive issues will be magnified away from home.
Texas Must Protect the Ball
Texas has committed at least one turnover in every SEC game. For an offense struggling to find any consistency, protecting the ball becomes even more important. The Longhorns are fortunate to have arguably the best defense in the country to fall back on, but the offense can’t afford to give games away.
Texas needs to be efficient offensively because it can’t count on the defense to win every game. Last week against Mississippi State was a great example. The defense allowed just three points, and those points came after a Texas turnover gave the Bulldogs great field position.
Establishing the run will be key against Missouri. Since the UTSA game, opponents have consistently brought pressure against the Texas offensive line. For the most part, it has worked, and the Longhorns have struggled up front. You can guarantee Missouri will take the same approach.
The best way to slow that pressure is with quick passes or a consistent running game. With Smothers potentially out for the rest of the season, establishing the run becomes more difficult. Raleek Brown has shown some flashes over the last few weeks, but it would be great to see Michael Terry and Derick Cooper get more carries.
Texas Must Contain Missouri’s Rushing Attack
Missouri has had one of the top rushing attacks in the SEC in 2026, largely without All-American running back Ahmad Hardy, who missed the season’s first seven games while recovering from an offseason gunshot wound. Hardy returned last week against Arkansas but had just two carries for five yards.
In Hardy’s absence, senior running back Jamal Roberts has been Missouri’s workhorse. Roberts enters the week with more than 1,000 rushing yards and nine touchdowns, averaging more than 125 rushing yards per game. Pairing Roberts with a returning Hardy could cause serious problems for opposing defenses.
Missouri enters the week at 6-2, including a 4-0 record at home. Its two losses show just how much the offense depends on the running game.
The Tigers lost 31-24 to Mississippi State when Kamario Taylor was still playing. Missouri rushed for just 119 yards in that game and averaged less than 3.5 yards per carry. Roberts finished with 95 yards on 26 carries. The following week, Missouri bounced back by putting up 560 yards of offense against Florida, including 220 on the ground.
The clearest example of how much Missouri relies on its rushing attack came in a 31-3 loss at Ole Miss on Oct. 17. Despite entering the game with one of the worst rushing defenses in the country, the Rebels completely shut down Roberts and company. Roberts managed just 39 yards on 20 carries, and after accounting for sack yardage, Missouri finished with only 39 rushing yards as a team.
If Texas can shut down Missouri’s rushing attack and force Austin Simmons to win the game through the air, you have to like the Longhorns’ chances Saturday. If the Tigers find success on the ground, Arch Manning and the offense will need to be prepared to score 30 points or more.
