Entering Week 11 with a historic 8-0 start, the Texas A&M football program faces a massive challenge to keep that record unblemished this Saturday afternoon against the Missouri Tigers in Columbia, Missouri.
Both teams are fresh off a bye week and looking to control their destinies for a spot in the College Football Playoff. For Texas A&M, a successful outing in this weekend’s matchup could move the Aggies one step closer to securing a position in Atlanta, Georgia, for the SEC Championship game in December. It will not be easy by any means, however, as the Tigers are looking to play spoiler with their outstanding defensive unit, which ranks among the best in college football so far this season.
Here are the five Missouri players to watch as the Aggies take on the Tigers in CoMo on Saturday afternoon:
Running back Ahmad Hardy
2025 stats: 159 CAR, 937 YDS, 11 TD
Tale of the tape: The former Louisiana Monroe star has made an immediate impact since arriving in Columbia. Hardy rushed for 100 yards in the first five contests, while also earning the Walter Camp National Offensive Player of the Week, Doak Walker Award National Player of the Week and Pro Football Focus Player of the Week in his Week 3 performance against Louisiana. He runs the ball with a purpose and will provide a massive challenge for the Texas A&M defense.
Quarterback Matt Zollers
2025 stats: 213 YDS, 69.0% COMP, 2 TD
Tale of the tape: When his name was called, Matt Zollers stepped up and performed outstandingly against one of the top teams on the road in the SEC. His outing against the Commodores showed that Zollers will be a dangerous threat for all opposing defenses moving forward. With little to no tape besides the game against Vanderbilt, the Aggies must scheme up ways to make Zollers uncomfortable and keep him off-balance this week.
Wide receiver Kevin Coleman
2025 stats: 51 REC, 558 YDS, 1 TD
Tale of the tape: Leading the team and ranking No. 10 in the SEC with 558 receiving yards so far in 2025, Kevin Coleman is an electric wideout who could cause the Texas A&M secondary headaches in Columbia this weekend. With Zollers starting at quarterback, look for Coleman to be his go-to receiver against the Aggie defense that ranks No. 44 in FBS with 203.0 passing yards allowed per contest this year.
Linebacker Josiah Trotter
2025 stats: 53 TKL (27 SOLO), 8.0 TFL, 1 SACK
Tale of the tape: Josiah Trotter has played lights out for Missouri this season. His innate ability to quickly collapse the trenches has helped propel the Tigers’ defensive unit to first in the conference in total production per game. Ranked 10th in the league with 8.0 tackles for loss, Trotter will play a massive role in stopping Texas A&M’s explosive weapons and preventing sophomore quarterback Marcel Reed from escaping the pocket and creating plays downfield.
Defensive end Zion Young
2025 stats: 25 TKL (13 SOLO), 9.5 TFL, 5 SACK, 2 PD, 2 FF
Tale of the tape: Rated as the No. 38 pass-rushing edge in 2025 with a grade of 79.7 per PFF, Zion Young’s contributions have been massive for this defense. Ranked No. 6 in the SEC with 9.5 tackles for loss in 2025, he is a dominant force that Texas A&M must find a way to slow down to protect Reed from taking hits. The 6-foot-5, 262-pounder from Michigan State has wreaked havoc against the conference’s best offenses this year.
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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Five Missouri players to watch for against Texas A&M
