The season is so close we can taste it (barely more than 48 hours at the time of publication) as Texas A&M gears up to begin their 2026 campaign by hosting the Missouri State Bears at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 5, at Kyle Field. Admittedly, this is a team we don’t know a ton about, given that the Aggies have never played them before and they only recently (last season) moved up to the FBS ranks. So to learn a bit more, I reached out to our compatriots at at Underdog Dynasty, who covers a slew of G6
and FCS teams for SB Nation.
Writer Steve Helwick was gracious enough to answer all of our burning questions as we dive into this first game of the season.
As a team who A&M has never played before and only recently moved to FBS, most Aggie fans know little about Missouri State. What do we need to know?
“Missouri State enters its second season of FBS membership, and year one exceeded all expectations. The Bears finished a very entertaining 7-6, with eight of their matchups decided by one-score (finishing 5-3 in such games). However, that ahead-of-schedule success landed head coach Ryan Beard a job at Coastal Carolina. Taking his place is Casey Woods, who led three top-12 national scoring offenses in four seasons as SMU’s offensive coordinator. Speaking of SMU, Missouri State hosted the Mustangs last year and held a 10-0 lead with under four minutes remaining in the second quarter — providing a notable non-conference scare to another Texas team.
A general fun fact about the university: they became the ‘Bears’ in 1906. The name originates from the Missouri State Seal, which features two bears holding a crest which reads ‘united we stand, divided we fall.’
Lastly, it’s important to learn the distinction between HEX codes #500000 and #5E0009. Not every shade of maroon walking around campus Saturday will be a Texas A&M fan.”
With a new head coach and very low returning production numbers, this isn’t a team that instills a lot of fear on paper. Tell us why we could be wrong.
“The main reason for optimism is Casey Woods’ expertise as an offensive coach. He already has the personnel to generate a potentially explosive passing attack, which I’ll further elaborate on below.
Additionally, I like some individual pieces Missouri State brings back on defense. The team hired defensive coordinator Jack Curtis, who spent 2023-25 as a defensive analyst at Auburn (which included two trips to College Station). The group brings back leading tackler Jared Lloyd at middle linebacker, two starting safeties, and a viable defensive tackle tandem, including the 6’3”, 310-pound Gilles Tchio. Losing Tchio on the first defensive snap of the season last August was a massive blow, and he’ll triumphantly return this year as the group’s biggest body.“
Are there any particular standout players we should be aware of? I ask this with memories of UTSA’s Robert Henry Jr. running roughshod over A&M a year ago.
“Jmariyae Robinson is a fifth-year senior receiver, and all five of his years were spent in Springfield, MO. By the time this season ends, he’ll likely be the program’s leader in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns. Last fall, he generated 632 yards and seven touchdowns in a passing attack which ranked 16th nationally in yards per game.
Casey Woods dialed up effective passing offenses at SMU and will likely focus on getting Robinson heavily involved in his new system. The 6’1”, 165-pound receiver also returns kicks and gets involved on jet sweeps as one of the Bears’ fastest, most versatile weapons.”
What is the biggest strength and the biggest weakness for this Bears team?
“Strength: the passing game. Skyler Locklear brings 16 starts of experience from UTEP, and he’ll be working alongside his former offensive coordinator Mark Cala. He threw for 338 yards and four touchdowns in his last start at UTEP and has plenty of weapons at his disposal at Missouri State. He has returning receivers Jmariyae Robinson and Makai Cope, a key transfer addition in Mekhi Miller — who saw substantial action at Missouri and Tulsa — and tight end Jeron Askren, the CUSA’s lone Mackey Award watchlist representative.
Weakness: offensive line play. The Bears surrendered the second-most sacks in the FBS last year at 52. They took several measures this offseason to mitigate that weakness. They’ll start three transfers on the offensive line, including left tackle King Large, who follows Woods from SMU, and center Isaiah Villanueva, who was already named a team captain after a stint at Jackson State in the FCS. Additionally, Missouri State offers more quarterback mobility this year with Skyler Locklear, compared to last year’s starter Jacob Clark, which could help extend plays outside the pocket.”
I assume most Missouri State fans view this first game as a loss (even if they dare to dream), but what is their outlook overall for the 2026 season?
“Replicating last year’s 7-6 record won’t be easy with a new coaching staff and a lack of continuity, but the Conference USA always has a dark horse or two that unexpectedly emerge. Nobody saw Kennesaw State notching 10 wins and winning the conference title last year, coming off a 2-10 season. Likewise, nobody envisioned Sam Houston collecting 10 wins in 2024 after a 3-9 finish the year prior.
Missouri State has been overlooked in the preseason, but the Bears want to be that dark horse in 2026. They were given just a 35 percent chance to qualify for bowl eligibility, according to the Bowl Confidence Index the CUSA releases (essentially a substitute for a preseason poll).
The Bears overcame a 60-point Week 1 thrashing at USC last season, so anything that happens in College Station shouldn’t faze them or hinder their hope to accomplish anything in CUSA play.”
Is The Simpsons’ Springfield based on Springfield, MO? Serious answers only, please.
“Definitely not. The Simpsons’ Springfield is located in one of the 49 states. I’ll be deep in the cold, cold ground before I recognize Missourah.”
