Four Takeaways from Mizzou’s 61-6 Win Over Central Arkansas

Mizzou’s home opener against Central Arkansas went pretty much exactly as predicted, with a dominant showing that gave fans an early glimpse at both new stars and future contributors. While the lopsided 61-6 scoreline confirmed what fans had expected, there were still important storylines, both good and bad, to take away from the season debut. Here are the four biggest takeaways from the Tigers' first game of 2025.

QB1 in CoMo

Heading into the season, it was no doubt that the biggest question mark surrounded Missouri’s quarterback situation. By the end of Thursday night, most of that noise was gone.

Beau Pribula was announced as the starter for the first half, with Sam Horn set to play the second. That plan shifted quickly when Horn took just one snap, a six-yard designed run, before exiting with a lower-body injury. ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported Horn underwent an MRI and will be out indefinitely pending further evaluation.

Despite the setback, Pribula proved he’s the guy this year. The Penn State transfer completed 23 of 28 passes for 283 yards and two touchdowns, while also rushing 10 times for 65 yards and two more scores. His first pass in a Tiger uniform was a perfect 49-yard touchdown strike to Marquis Johnson. Later, he dazzled with a 31-yard rushing touchdown, faking a throw before juking defenders en route to the south end zone.

With Horn sidelined, true freshman Matt Zollers saw second-half action. While his opportunities were limited, Zollers impressed by going 3-for-3 for 58 yards, including a 40-yard connection with redshirt freshman Jude James. If he develops as advertised, Zollers could become a strong backup option behind Pribula this season.

Running Rampant

The Tigers’ run game looked every bit as dangerous as advertised this offseason. ULM transfer Ahmad Hardy, who already has a 1,000 yard rushing season under his belt, bulldozed his way through defenders, showing his ability to gain tough yards after contact. Hardy finished with 100 yards on 10 carries, including a touchdown.

Combined with Jamal Roberts' gritty runs and Pribula’s legs, the Tigers racked up 221 rushing yards at six yards per carry, proving their ground attack will be a serious weapon all season.

Penalty Troubles

Despite the dominant win, Missouri wasn’t perfect. The Tigers committed eight penalties for 70 yards, gifting Central Arkansas two first downs in the process.

Defensive backs Toriano Pride Jr. and Santana Banner were each flagged for pass interference, while offensive lineman Cayden Green was responsible for two of the unit’s three penalties. With tougher opponents looming, Eli Drinkwitz and his staff will need to clean up the discipline issues on both sides of the ball.

New Faces Making Plays

Tiger fans got their first real look at several new contributors, and many of them delivered.

Kevin Coleman Jr. (WR, transfer from Mississippi State): Six catches for 48 yards, showing off quickness and shiftiness.

Donovan Olugbode (WR, true freshman): Four catches for 37 yards, looking comfortable in his debut.

Damon Wilson II (EDGE, Georgia transfer): Two sacks, constantly pressuring UCA’s quarterback.

Josiah Trotter (LB, West Virginia transfer): A team-high eight tackles, including one for loss, anchoring the defense.

The influx of talent on both sides of the ball was on full display, giving Mizzou fans plenty of reasons to be excited moving forward.

All in all, Mizzou’s opener was the convincing start fans hoped for, but it also highlighted areas that need fine-tuning. With tougher competition ahead, the Tigers will look to build on their momentum while cleaning up the common early mistakes.