No. 7 Texas and No. 18 Missouri meet on Saturday as SEC foes for the first time, both carrying 6-2 overall records and 3-2 conference marks. The game kicks off at 12 p.m. ET from Faurot Field in Columbia, Missouri, and will be televised on ESPN with a live stream available on Fubo.
Missouri has been formidable at home, posting a 13-3 record against SEC opponents at Faurot Field since 2023. The Tigers blew out then-No. 8 Florida 45-17 on Oct. 3 and also defeated Texas A&M, but suffered a 31-3 loss at Ole Miss on Oct. 17. After a bye week, Missouri rebounded with a 34-10 win over Arkansas in Week 9.
Texas enters on wins over Ole Miss and Mississippi State, though its offense has yet to meet preseason expectations. Quarterback Arch Manning has thrown 15 touchdown passes this season, but the Longhorns face significant injury concerns. Star receivers Ryan Wingo (quad) and Cam Coleman (shoulder) are listed as questionable, as is edge rusher Collin Simmons (ankle). Both Wingo and Coleman have caught 11 of Manning's 15 touchdown passes.
Missouri's injury report is relatively clean. Running back Ahmad Hardy made his 2026 debut last week after recovering from a gunshot wound, adding depth to a backfield led by Jamal Roberts. Roberts became the SEC's first 1,000-yard rusher this season, rushing for 138 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries against Arkansas. He also topped 200 yards in wins over Florida and Texas A&M.
College Football Playoff stakes are high. According to the CBS Sports CFB Forecaster, a Texas win would raise its playoff chances to 67.5%, while a loss would drop them to 22.8%. Missouri's odds improve to 16.1% with a victory but plummet to 1.6% with a defeat. The Longhorns close the regular season against LSU, Arkansas, and Texas A&M; the Tigers finish with Georgia, Kentucky, and Oklahoma.
Analysts favor Texas, citing its elite defense that has held opponents to under four yards per rush attempt. The consensus pick is Texas -2.5, with the majority of experts selecting the Longhorns to cover the spread.
