Missouri will be without one of its top offensive contributors in a matchup with Texas A&M Saturday that has legitimate College Football Playoff implications.

Junior tight end Brett Norfleet will not play due to a shoulder injury he suffered Oct. 25 in a 17-10 loss to Vanderbilt, per a report from ESPN's Pete Thamel. Norfleet has accumulated 224 receiving yards on 26 catches and a team-leading five receiving touchdowns in the most consistent year of his career.

This isn't the first time injuries have hampered him. Norfleet dealt with another shoulder injury early on in 2024 that kept him out of a Week 2 matchup against Buffalo. After the regular season wrapped up, he underwent knee surgery that prevented him from suiting up in the Music City Bowl. 

Now, Mizzou's leading tight end will be unavailable for a must-win situation against Texas A&M. True freshman quarterback Matt Zollers will have one less offensive weapon in his first collegiate start against a formidable Aggies defensive unit.

Filling in for Norfleet will likely be a mix of freshman Jude James and junior Jordon Harris. James, in particular, displayed sound chemistry with Zollers at Vanderbilt, catching four passes for 29 yards and a touchdown with 12:49 remaining in the fourth quarter. 

No. 22 Missouri is set to kick off against No. 3 Texas A&M at 2:30 p.m. Saturday in Memorial Stadium. 

Originally published on columbiamissourian.com, part of the BLOX Digital Content Exchange.

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