.vresize.36.36.medium.0.png){kind=small}
.vresize.36.36.medium.0.png){kind=small}
Missouri defensive back Carl Gettis was asked to look ahead to his team's upcoming games, including next week's matchup against No. 6 Oklahoma and a trip to fifth-ranked Nebraska.
Hold it. Gettis said he and the No. 21 Tigers are too focused on maintaining their perfect 5-0 record against the struggling Texas A&M Aggies on Saturday to look past this week.
''When you are playing such a good team it makes it hard to look to the next week,'' he said. ''I can't even tell you who we play next week because Texas A&M is a good team. So it's hard to look past any of the teams we have coming up. Each team is good and each week is going to be a big game.''
Such is life in the Big 12, where even a team reeling from consecutive close losses and committing more turnovers this season than all but one team in the Football Bowl Subdivision is cause for concern.
The Tigers opened Big 12 play last week with a 26-0 win over Colorado. Texas A&M lost to No. 12 Arkansas by a touchdown that same day after starting conference play with a 38-35 loss to No. 20 Oklahoma State.
It is Missouri's first road game after opening at a neutral site before playing four straight at home. The Aggies are expecting more than 80,000 at Kyle Field as the Tigers try to start 6-0 for just the fifth time in school history.
''We have ways to prepare for games,'' Missouri coach Gary Pinkel said. ''It's all about focus, preparation and distraction control. It's a tough place to play, but it's about focusing and playing your best. Can you zone out all that's in that stadium and focus on your job?''
Missouri got a scare against the Buffaloes when quarterback Blaine Gabbert had to leave the game in the fourth quarter with a hip pointer. He is better and Pinkel said he'll start against Texas A&M.
The Aggies are hoping their success in the second half against Ryan Mallett and the Arkansas offense will carry over into this week's game. The Aggies have improved on defense in the first season under coordinator Tim DeRuyter, but still expect Gabbert to be a challenge.
''He's athletic, long, probably a much better runner than we saw last week,'' DeRuyter said. ''He's got a very good arm. He's a really good combination guy. With what they do scheme-wise they really stretch you out.''
Pinkel has been impressed with the progress of A&M this season after the Aggies gave up 426 yards a game last season. But the biggest concern for the Tigers is trying to slow quarterback Jerrod Johnson. The senior is eighth in the nation in yards passing a game with more than 297 and ranks ninth in total offense with almost 320 yards.
''A&M's got a great offensive scheme,'' Pinkel said. ''Johnson their quarterback (I) am very, very impressed with him obviously ... it will be a challenge for us and we understand that but in this league that's what you're going to face each and every week.''
About the only thing that has slowed Texas A&M's offense this season has been its inability to hold onto the ball. Johnson has thrown 13 touchdown passes this season, but all nine of his interceptions have come in the last three games to give A&M 18 turnovers in 2010.
Coach Mike Sherman hasn't wavered on his commitment to Johnson.
''He gives us a chance,'' Sherman said. ''He's not a selfish quarterback. He could care less about his stats. He knows the game plan. He studies it. He does everything I ask him to do. I have a lot of trust in him.''
The Aggies have remained confident despite their two-game skid because they think they would have won both of those games if not for their turnovers. Johnson is encouraged that the team's goal of winning the Big 12 South is still within reach if they get on track this week.
''We know going back into conference play we can win all our games if we play good football,'' he said. ''It's not a situation where we're getting beat into the ground and not having success. I think you lose confidence if you think you're overmatched. We have great players and a great system, we're just making unfortunate mistakes at unfortunate times.''
