Missouri's Drinkwitz: 'Nothing to fear' as No. 19 Tigers face third-ranked Texas A&M

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Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz addressed his team early this week, as the No. 19 Tigers were turning their attention toward a visit from No. 3 Texas A&M. They had just lost for the second time in three games, and with the latest loss had come a season-ending injury to talented quarterback Beau Pribula.

The message was one of optimism and hope at a time in which it could be easy to be frustrated and disappointed.

“If you would have told us when we started fall camp,” Drinkwitz said, relaying his message to his team, “that we would be ranked coming out of the second bye week with an opportunity for everything we want in front of us, and we get to play a top-10 team at home, would everybody have signed up for it? We all said yes.”

The Tigers (6-2, 2-2 SEC, No. 22 CFP) indeed have plenty to play for the rest of the way, though their margin is slim for making the conference title game and the College Football Playoff. But it all starts with beating the Aggies (8-0, 5-0, No. 3), something that nobody else has managed to do, and something Missouri hasn't done since the 2014 season.

In fact, the Tigers have not beaten a top-five team since the 2010 season.

“You know, there’s really nothing to fear,” Drinkwitz said. “It’s just a hell of an opportunity laying out there for us."

Texas A&M is well aware of its own opportunity with four games left in the regular season. The next two are against struggling South Carolina and Samford before a finisher against Texas, so an argument could be made the Tigers are the toughest test left.

The situation leaves Aggies coach Mike Elko feeling ... desperate?

“Yeah, I think we are desperate. I tell them all the time, we have earned everything that we’ve got, right? We’ve got a record, we’ve got a ranking, we’ve got opportunities that we have worked really, really hard to earn," Elko said. “And every single Saturday someone’s coming in and trying to take all of that from us. That’s the urgency that we have. In terms of Missouri — this is the challenge that you have in college football today, they’re still very much alive for the playoff.”

Barely. But alive.

“They obviously know they’re going to have to win out in order probably to get in,” Elko continued. “So this is a huge opportunity for them at home on a big stage to make a statement that they’re going to go chase a spot in the playoff.”

Matthew Zollers finished out the Tigers' loss to Vanderbilt a couple of weeks ago, when Pribula got hurt. Now, he will become the first true freshman to start a game at quarterback for Missouri since Drew Lock started the final eight of the 2015 season.

“It’s about playing to what his strengths are,” Drinkwitz said. “Are there things that we’re going to add? Probably not. But are there things that he’s more comfortable with than maybe Beau was? Absolutely."

Missouri won its first two against Texas A&M as SEC foes, while the Aggies have won the last two. But given the two teams also used to be in the Big 12 together, the series has been seldom-played. Texas A&M has a 10-7 advantage overall.

Texas A&M’s offensive line wasn’t expected to be a strength this season, but it has looked better every week. The unit hasn’t allowed a sack in three straight games and five of eight games this season.

“You’ve seen them go out and play really well. Now they have a massive challenge in front of them," Elko said. “This is the best defensive line that we’ve seen to date. They’re an extremely talented group.”

Elko still isn't sure when star running back Le’Veon Moss will return from an ankle injury that has kept him out the last two games, but the staff does not think he is done for the year. Rueben Owens II has been the team’s primary ball carrier since Moss was injured and leads the team with 440 yards rushing.

“We’re hopeful that by the end of the regular season we’ll have a chance to get them back out there,” Elko said. “Certainly, we feel very confident for anything beyond the end of the regular season if that presents itself."

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AP Sports Writer Kristie Rieken in Houston contributed to this report.

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