Here are five takeaways from Missouri’s 34-27 win over Texas A&M:

1. Markus Golden remains just as dangerous as Shane Ray along Missouri’s defensive line. Ray has been the best defensive end in the SEC this season, setting a Missouri school record for sacks in a season before Saturday’s showdown with Texas A&M even began. However, Golden has been quietly productive as well, and he erupted for 2.5 sacks in the Tigers’ win over Texas A&M. The tandem of Ray and Golden has terrorized opposing offenses this season, and with Golden’s above-average contributions they stifled Kyle Allen in his third career start.

2. Missouri’s offense works best when it runs the ball effectively. The Tigers amassed 587 yards of offense against the Aggies, powered first and foremost by 335 yards on the ground. Tailbacks Russell Hansbrough and Marcus Murphy matched quarterback Maty Mauk’s 40 pass attempts with 40 carries of their own (an even 20 apiece). Hansbrough and Murphy combined to rush for 287 yards on the evening, including back to back 49 and 45 yard touchdowns by Hansbrough to open the second half. When Missouri runs the ball well it makes Mauk’s job much easier, and as a result the offense is much more successful.

3. Maty Mauk is growing more comfortable in his role in the offense. As Missouri has embraced a more balanced offense in 2014, Mauk has had to embrace his role as a game manager. He struggled early in the season, but has really come on in recent games even though the numbers might not show it. He’s thrown for five touchdowns and just one interception in his last three games, which is a considerable improvement from the zero touchdowns and three interceptions he threw in his first three SEC games. He’s also stopped forcing throws and trying to make dynamic plays, and instead defers to making smart, safe plays with the football. If he continues on this trend, his numbers will work themselves out.

4. Jimmie Hunt is emerging as a No. 2 option in the passing game opposite Bud Sasser. Hunt had his best game of the season against Texas A&M, catching five passes for a season-high 85 yards. He never got into the end zone but his catches set his teammates up with scores to keep Missouri in front. Two of his five catches came on Missouri scoring drives, and a third came on the Tigers’ final drive of the game, helping allow them to run out the clock on a seven-point victory. If Hunt can have this kind of production consistently, he and Sasser could emerge as a dynamic duo late in the year.

5. Missouri’s playoff run has officially begun. The Tigers remain in first in the SEC, but Georgia is in the clubhouse with a 6-2 SEC record and a head-to-head victory over Mizzou. If Missouri wins its final two games, it will win the East and return to Atlanta for another shot at the SEC championship. If it loses either of its final two games, Georgia will win the East. That’s it, the end, goodbye. Thus, the Tigers are already in a playoff of sorts, playing literally must-win games the rest of the regular season and potentially in the conference title game. If somehow Missouri survived it all and won the SEC championship, it’d at least get a bid to a New Year’s Six bowl, which would be another huge step forward for the program. Welcome to the playoffs, Tiger fans.