Stopping the bleeding was exactly the task Texas A&M needed to accomplish in its game this past weekend against Arkansas. A loss, which would’ve followed back-to-back disappointing defeats to Kentucky and LSU, would’ve completely derailed the season, sending the Aggies spiraling into the depths of doom and despair. A win, while not a panacea, would keep the boat afloat for at least a little while longer.

Texas A&M picked up that victory, defeating Arkansas in a dominant 34-7 triumph. There was never a moment where the Aggies appeared to be on the back foot. The offense, which had been anemic and unable to sustain any sort of momentum, was able to beat up on a subpar Razorbacks defense and cruise. In other words, it was the exact sort of remedy that Texas A&M required.

There’s no rest for the weary in the SEC, though. A battle with No. 14 Missouri is on the docket. Depending on one’s perspective, this is either good news or bad news. The pessimists see this as yet another opponent that will beat the brakes off the Aggies, embarrassing Texas A&M and ruining the campaign for good. For the more optimistic among us, this bout with Missouri presents Texas A&M with an opportunity to get the season completely back on track.

Arkansas stopped things from getting worse. Missouri offers the Aggies a chance to prove they’re actually getting better.

Missouri Can Tell Us Whether the Response Was Real

There’s a substantial difference between beating Arkansas at home and going on the road to beat a Missouri team that just demolished Florida.

The Tigers looked like one of the better teams in the SEC while doing it, overwhelming a Gators team that had spent the previous week looking like a legitimate contender against Ole Miss. Of course, Missouri also lost to Mississippi State, because apparently nothing in this conference is allowed to make complete sense. The SEC contains multitudes.

That uncertainty actually makes this upcoming Saturday more useful for Texas A&M. Missouri is good enough that a win would carry real weight without being so dominant that the Aggies would need some sort of miracle to pull it off. If the offensive line can control the game again, if Marcel Reed can play with the same comfort he showed against Arkansas and if the defense can avoid another performance resembling what happened against LSU, then the conversation surrounding this team changes considerably.

There’s still a long way to go before anyone should declare Texas A&M cured. But after two weeks spent wondering how bad things might get, the Aggies suddenly have an opportunity to make the conversation considerably more interesting.