Missouri Tigers vs. New Mexico State Aggies: Five things to know about Mizzou’s next game

For its final non-conference game of the season, Missouri returns to the role of favorite when it meets New Mexico State on Saturday.

The Tigers are 4-6 overall and hoping to become bowl eligible with two more victories. After meeting the Aggies, Mizzou plays host to Arkansas on Nov. 25.

The details

Kickoff: 6:30. p.m. Saturday

Where: Faurot Field, Columbia

TV: ESPNU

Radio: KMBZ (98.1 FM)

Betting line: Missouri by 27 1/2

Five things to know

Aggies coming off a resounding victory: New Mexico State stands 4-5 and is coming off a 51-14 victory over Lamar (FCS). The Aggies are riding their first three-game winning streak since 2017. Against Lamar, New Mexico State scored on seven of its first eight possessions and ran up its highest point total in a game since 2019.

Jerry Kill is back in the coaching ranks: Kill, originally from Cheney, Kan., served on staffs at Webb City, Mo. High, and Pittsburg State before becoming the head coach at Emporia State. He moved up and became Minnesota’s head coach before health problems forced him to retire. Kill returned to work as an administrator at Kansas State in 2016 and spent the final four games last season as TCU’s interim head coach. This is his first season at New Mexico State.

Mizzou connections at New Mexico State: The athletic director who hired Hill is Mario Moccia. He was Missouri’s senior associate director of athletics from 1998-2006. Moccia was hired by Mike Alden, who had worked with Moccia at Southwest Texas State. More Mizzou connections: Aggies running backs coach Ghaali Muhammad-Lankford and defensive backs coach Cliff Odom are former Missouri graduate assistants.

Adding Mizzou to Aggies’ power five list: This is the first meeting between Missouri and New Mexico State. The Aggies annually play at least one school from a Power Five conference. The Tigers will be their third major opponent this year. Minnesota (38-0) and Wisconsin (66-7) defeated New Mexico State in the season’s first month. In recent years, the Aggies have met SEC foes Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi and Arkansas. The most recent victory over a Power Five opponent came in 2011 against Minnesota.

Wiping away bitter taste of Tennessee: Missouri is coming off a brutal 66-24 loss at Tennessee. A defense that had played well all season couldn’t respond to the Vols up-tempo attack, but the Tigers had some good moments on offense. Quarterback Brady Cook rushed for a career-best 106 yards. Wide receivers Barrett Banister, Dominic Lovett and Tauskie Dove combined for 15 receptions and two touchdowns.