Pick details
| MATCHUP | Missouri State Bears | Texas A&M Aggies |
|---|---|---|
| Team Records | 0-0 | 0-0 |
| Where | Kyle Field, College Station, TX | |
| When | Saturday, September 5, 2026 | |
| Time | 07:00 PM EDT | |
| TV | ESPN | |
Missouri State Bears Betting Preview
The Missouri State Bears went 7-6 (5-3) last season and they finished tied for fourth in the CUSA standings. Missouri State started the season with a 73-13 loss to USC, but they bounced back with a 21-20 win over Marshall. The Bears were just 2-3 through five games, but they won the next five games, before losing back to back games to finish the regular season. Missouri State went to the Xbox Bowl, but they lost 34-28 to Arkansas State. The Bears scored 25.6 points per game in 2025, while they allowed 28.8 points against per game on defense.This year, Missouri State will have a new head coach and they have plenty of new faces on both sides of the ball. The Bears will have Skyler Locklear as their starting quarterback, who transferred from UTEP. Missouri State does have some talent at the running back spot, but I am worried about the offensive line. On defense, the Bears will be mostly built from the transfer portal. The unit looks solid on paper, but we will see how they come together to start the season.
Texas A&M Aggies Betting Preview
The Texas A&M Aggies went 11-2 (7-1) last year and they finished tied for first in the SEC standings. Texas A&M started the season with a 42-24 win over UTSA and defeated Utah State 44-22 in week two. The Aggies won their first 11 games of the season, before they lost 27-17 to Texas in week 12. Texas A&M went to the College Football Playoff, but lost to Miami 10-3 in the first round. The Aggies scored 33.8 points per game in 2025, while they allowed 21.0 points against per game on defense.This year, Texas A&M will have Marcel Reed back at the quarterback spot and he is one of the top QB’s in the nation. The running back situation is also very good, so the run game should be decent, but the offensive line is mostly new and the receivers are a question mark. On defense, Texas A&M should be poised for another solid season, but they did have some turnover in the front seven.
Why the Texas A&M Aggies will win
- Texas A&M has won each of its last 10 games as an AP-ranked team against a non-AP-ranked team at Kyle Field.
- Missouri State has lost the first half in each of its last three games.
Why the Missouri State Bears will win
- Texas A&M has failed to cover the spread in 11 of its last 12 games against non-conference opponents.
- Missouri State has covered the spread in three of its last four games against non-conference opponents.
Total Points Facts
- Each of Texas A&M’s last three games in Texas have gone UNDER the total points line.
- Three of Missouri State’s last four games against non-conference opponents have gone UNDER the total points line.
Texas A&M Aggies Player Prop Facts
- Marcel Reed ranked T19th amongst FBS players for passing touchdowns (25) last season.
Missouri State Bears Player Prop Facts
- Ramone Green Jr. was one of only 33 players in the FBS to record 250 rushing yards and 250 receiving yards last season.
Matchup/League Facts
- Texas A&M ranked T131st among FBS teams for interceptions last season (3).
- Texas A&M ranked T8th among FBS teams for 4th down conversion percentage last season (70.6).
- Missouri State ranked 109th among FBS teams for Q4 opponent points per game last season (8.2).
- Missouri State ranked T31st among FBS teams for 4th down conversion percentage last season (61.5).
Missouri State vs Texas A&M Prediction
Texas A&M finally broke through last season and made the College Football Playoff, but their offense never showed up in their loss to Miami. The Aggies will look to build on that this season and should be very good once again. Missouri State finished above .500 last year, but they have plenty of new faces on both sides of the ball and this is a very tough game to start with. I don’t like laying a number this big with A&M playing Arizona State next week, so I will take Missouri State and the points, but I don’t love it.David Racey's Pick: Missouri State +40.5
