Week 1 Pregame Primer

Coach Elko’s Monday press conference

Missouri State coach Randy Woods’ press conference

Game weather forecast

6 p.m. kickoff: 88 degrees, cloudy; temperatures likely remaining in the 80s through the game.

TV

ESPN (Lowell Galindo (play-by-play), Kirk Morrison (analyst), and Dawn Davenport (sideline))

Texas A&M Depth Chart

Number	Name	Height/Weight	Class
10	Marcel Reed	6-1, 185	Sr.
13	Brady Hart	6-4, 200	So.
16	Helaman Casuga	6, 213	Fr.

Number	Name	Height/Weight	Class
4	Rueben Owens	5-11, 215	Sr.
OR 2	Jamarion Morrow	5-9, 200	So.
22	Carsyn Baker	6, 210	Fr.
OR 0	KJ Edwards	5-10, 197	Fr.

Number	Name	Height/Weight	Class
1	Mario Craver	5-9, 180	Jr.
11	Kelshaun Johnson	5-11, 173	So.
OR 17	Madden Williams	6-1, 192	Fr.

Number	Name	Height/Weight	Class
7	Isaiah Horton	6-4, 215	Gr.
3	Aaron Gregory	6-2, 191	Fr.
OR 81	Jayden Warren	6-1, 214	Fr.

Number	Name	Height/Weight	Class
8	Ashton Bethel-Roman	6, 193	Jr.
OR 6	Terry Bussey	5-10, 205	Jr.
18	TK Norman	6, 186	So.

Number	Name	Height/Weight	Class
88	Micah Riley	6-5, 263	5th
OR 84	Richie Anderson	6-4, 265	Sr.
OR 87	Houston Thomas	6-5, 252	Gr.
OR 9	Kiotti Armstrong	6-5, 285	So.

Number	Name	Height/Weight	Class
71	Tyree Adams	6-7, 305	Sr.
79	Lamont Rogers	6-6, 340	So.

Number	Name	Height/Weight	Class
52	Blake Ivy	6-3, 324	Jr.
OR 77	Tyler Thomas	6-4, 350	So.

Number	Name	Height/Weight	Class
54	Mark Nabou Jr.	6-4, 307	Gr.
78	Coen Echols	6-4, 305	Jr.
54	Sam Roseborough	6-3, 303	Fr..

Number	Name	Height/Weight	Class
76	Trovon Baugh	6-4, 335	Gr.
OR 78	Coen Echols	6-4, 305	Jr.

Number	Name	Height/Weight	Class
75	Wilkin Formby	6-7, 320	Gr.
70	Robert Bourdon	6-6, 312	Jr.
74	Zaden Krempin	6-4, 298	Fr.

Number	Name	Height/Weight	Class
18	T.J. Searcy	6-5, 260	Sr.
14	Anto Saka	6-4, 255	Gr.
16	Bryce Perry-Wright	6-2, 269	Fr.

Number	Name	Height/Weight	Class
5	DJ Hicks	6-3, 293	Sr.
99	Landon Rink	6-2, 295	So.
11	Brandon Davis-Swain	6-4, 307	Jr.

Number	Name	Height/Weight	Class
92	CJ Mims	6-2, 312	5th
OR 94	Angelo McCullom	6-2, 317	Jr.
88	DJ Sanders	6-3, 316	So.

Number	Name	Height/Weight	Class
10	Marco Jones	6-5, 261	So.
15	Sam M’Pemba	6-3, 257	Sr.
17	Ryan Henderson	6-3, 255	Gr.
22	Tristan Givens	6-3, 232	Fr.

Number	Name	Height/Weight	Class
27	Daymion Sanford	6-2, 228	Sr.
OR 0	Noah Mikhail	6-2, 230	So.
25	Tamarion Watkins	6-3, 228	Fr.

Number	Name	Height/Weight	Class
0	Noah Mikhail	6-2, 230	So.
OR 21	Ray Coney	6-2, 240	Sr.
54	Jordan Lockhart	6-1, 233	Jr.

Number	Name	Height/Weight	Class
6	Julio Humphrey	6-1, 197	5th
20	Adonyss Currie	6, 181	So.
OR 23	Brandon Arrington	6-2, 201	Freshman

Number	Name	Height/Weight	Class
2	Dezz Ricks	6-1, 193	Sr.
OR 9	Rickey Gibson III	6, 181	Sr.
21	Vic Singleton	5-11, 175	Fr.

Number	Name	Height/Weight	Class
8	Jordan Shaw	5-11, 180	Sr.
19	Bravion Rogers	5-11, 186	Sr.
13	Deyjhon Pettaway	5-11, 182	So.
24	Camren Hamiel	5-11, 180	Fr.

Number	Name	Height/Weight	Class
3	Marcus Ratcliffe	6-3, 211	Sr.
13	Myles Davis	6-1, 203	Jr.
22	Tom Tom Johnson	6-1, 201	So.
15	Tylan Wilson	6-1, 204	Fr.

Number	Name	Height/Weight	Class
7	Dalton Brooks	6, 202	Sr.
4	Tawfiq Byard	6-1, 198	Sr.
28	Chance Collins	6-1, 201	Fr.

Missouri State Two-Deep

Number	Name	Height/Weight	Class
9	Skylar Locklear	5-11, 195	5th
2	Henry Belin IV	6-3, 225	5th

Number	Name	Height/Weight	Class
1	Breeze Dubar	6, 205	Sr.
OR 22	Ramone Green Jr.	5-9, 190	Sr.

Number	Name	Height/Weight	Class
40	Connor Lair	6-1, 225	5th
46	Cash Pomeroy	6-2, 265	Fr.

Number	Name	Height/Weight	Class
6	Mekhi Miller	6-1, 194	5th
17	Brendon McQueen	6-3, 190	Jr.

Number	Name	Height/Weight	Class
0	Jmariyae Robinson	6-1, 165	5th
8	Isaiah McMorris	5-11, 175	Jr.

Number	Name	Height/Weight	Class
11	Makai Cope	6-3, 210	6th
3	Isaiah Myers	6-4, 173	5th

Number	Name	Height/Weight	Class
71	King Large	6-4, 316	Jr.
70	William Dixon III	6-3, 280	5th

Number	Name	Height/Weight	Class
54	Matthew Greene	6-5, 285	Sr.
51	Chase Mideau	6-3, 305	Fr.

Number	Name	Height/Weight	Class
72	Isaiah Villanueva	6-3, 302	5th
75	Logan Scrivner	6-4, 305	Jr.

Number	Name	Height/Weight	Class
55	Ryan Mitchell	6-3, 285	Jr.
66	Makhete Gueye	6-6, 310	5th

Number	Name	Height/Weight	Class
77	Sebastian Espinoza	6-6, 300	Sr.
78	Brayden Thompson	6-8, 320	So.

Joker

Number	Name	Height/Weight	Class
10	Jalile Elliott	6-3, 230	So.
OR 5	Kellen Lindstrom	6-5, 240	Jr.

Number	Name	Height/Weight	Class
11	Tim Brantley Jr.	6-1, 275	Sr.
96	Blessing Igbinedion	6-4, 283	Jr.

Number	Name	Height/Weight	Class
57	Gilles Tchao	6-3, 310	5th
99	Markell Chapman	6-1, 303	Sr.

Number	Name	Height/Weight	Class
92	Josh Lukas	6-5, 260	5th
OR 30	Caden Wiest	6-4, 265	Sr.

SAM

Number	Name	Height/Weight	Class
31	Cooper Roy	6-3, 225	Sr.
35	Austin Yelder	6, 223	5th

MIKE

Number	Name	Height/Weight	Class
0	Jared “Bird” Lloyd	6-3, 240	5th
21	Jashawn Cooper	6, 215	Jr.

WILL

Number	Name	Height/Weight	Class
32	Hieko Malone	6-1, 210	Jr.
15	Martavis Blackmon	6-1, 225	Sr.

STAR

Number	Name	Height/Weight	Class
33	Anthony Mattison	5-9, 190	Jr.
9	Dylan Dixson	6-1, 180	5th

Number	Name	Height/Weight	Class
8	Joel Pkpassou	5-10, 170	Sr.
23	Gionni McBride	6-3, 175	So.

Number	Name	Height/Weight	Class
16	J.J. O’Neal	6-2, 180	5th
2	Antonio Smith	6-3, 197	Sr.

Number	Name	Height/Weight	Class
29	Christian Ford	6, 180	Sr.
19	Xavian Michel	6, 180	So.

Number	Name	Height/Weight	Class
12	Joel Boamah	5-11, 180	Sr.
7	Malik Ganaway	6-1, 190	5th

Marcel Reed is not lacking confidence heading into 2026.

Keys to the game

Take control of the line of scrimmage quickly. You need to do that in every game, but in this case, it builds confidence for this new offensive line and gets the running game going.

Let Marcel cook. Reed has put in a lot of work in the offseason to improve his overall game. Offensive coordinator Holmon Wiggins has talked about putting together a scheme to amplify Reed’s strengths, so let’s see it. Start him off with some shorter passes and then stretch the field. Let him run with it.

Pinch the pocket. Locklear may not be the biggest quarterback, but he can run. He had more than 600 yards rushing last year at UTEP and can be a threat in the RPO game. But the bigger problem will be if gets out of the pocket and scrambles. The Aggies need to push upfield, but also cut off the edges.

Play smart. Last year, A&M’s biggest issues against the run came when they were reckless and didn’t mind gap responsibilities. That can’t happen again for the third straight year (it happened in 2024 as well). If they stay home and do their jobs, they have plenty of talent to succeed. In the case of the quick passing game, which Missouri State seems likely to utilize, making fast, solid tackles is also important.

Turn the ball over. This is boilerplate for game previews anywhere, but in this case, it’s really important. A&M was -9 in turnover margin last year, 120th in the country in forcing turnovers, and that’s anemic. They have to get off to a far better start this year, especially when it comes to interceptions.

The numbers game

283.1: SMU’s average passing yards per game last year (11th nationally) with Woods as the offensive coordinator.

2: A&M’s rank in both sacks and tackles for loss per game in 2025.

22.6: Opponents’ third down conversion percentage against the Aggies last year, the best in the nation.

32:20: A&M’s average time of possession in 2025.

26:53: SMU’s average time of possession in 2025.

Five Bears to know

QB Skylar Locklear: Threw for just over 3,000 yards and added another 633 more on the ground last year at UTEP. Good RPO quarterback used to the quick passing game.

RB Ramone Green Jr.: averaged 5 yards a carry and 15.4 yards per catch last year.

WR Jmariyae Robinson: 44 catches, 632 yards (14.4 YPC), 7 TD in 2025.

LB Jared Lloyd: Team high 77 tackles with 4.5 TFL last year.

DT Tim Brantley: 32 tackles, 2.5 TFL in 2025; preseason All C-USA selection