If Texas A&M wants to officially turn this season around, they’ll need to pull off the road upset against Missouri this weekend. The win over Arkansas was a start. Now Mike Elko’s team has to prove it can carry that into a hostile road environment against a Missouri team that is favored for a reason.

Say what you want about Arkansas. I don’t think the Razorbacks are the best team in the SEC either, but they were a great opportunity for Texas A&M to get right. There is value in executing what you intended to do against an SEC opponent.

Now, the Aggies need to go on the road and find a way to come out with another win. And accomplishing these four keys can help Texas A&M achieve that goal.

Take the ball out of Marcel Reed’s hands

The No. 1 thing I’m looking at on the road, in a huge matchup for Elko and this offense, is limiting quarterback Marcel Reed, which might sound counter productive, but stick with me here. Keep Reed to around 22 attempts. To me, if Texas A&M keeps him under 25 attempts, the Aggies are in that ball game going into the fourth quarter.

Low attempts means the Aggies running the football effectively, and that’s the formula that gives them a shot in this game.

Establish the ground game with all three backs

That leads directly to my second point. Texas A&M has to get these running backs into space. Jamarion Morrow is expected to return this week and it’ll be great to have him back in this offense. I also expect K.J. Edwards to get an uptick in production. And Rueben Owens II is still a good running back.

I know a lot of Aggies feel differently about Owens. As an A&M fan, I understand the frustration. But there’s still a lot this offense can work off of with Owens as the starting tailback, especially as a pass blocker and a receiver. He gives you more than people want to admit.

Short yardage cannot look like it did against Arkansas

Another huge key in this game is a better game plan in short yardage situations. Truthfully, Texas A&M should not need eight plays at the goal line to score a touchdown against Arkansas. That was inexcusable.

And it’s not something the Aggies can get away with twice. A Missouri front on the road is a completely different animal than what they saw against the Razorbacks. If Texas A&M can’t punch it in when it matters, they’re not going to win this game. Simple as that.

Flip the script and force turnovers

The last key is the one Texas A&M has been talking about dating back to the offseason: creating more turnovers. This defense has to flip the script in this game.

Missouri quarterback Austin Simmons has zero interceptions. Now, that’s not to say he hasn’t thrown turnover-worthy balls, because he has. But the Aggies have to be able to execute and finally force him to make a mistake. Sitting back and hoping he hands you one isn’t a plan. Texas A&M has to force the issue either up-front or in coverage.

Why I believe the Aggies can pull this off

Now, I do believe Texas A&M can pull off the upset. To be clear, it’s a tall ask to flip this much within one team in such a short window. That’s exactly why the Arkansas game mattered so much. The Aggies needed to get right, get that feeling of winning back, and remember what it looks like to play at a high level.

If the attempts stay down, the backs find space, the short-yardage package shows up, and the defense takes the ball away, Texas A&M walks out of Missouri with a win. If they do, it changes the entire conversation around Elko’s team.