Missouri defeats Arkansas Pine-Bluff 54-14 in season opener

Missouri opened its 2026 season with a 54-14 victory over Arkansas Pine-Bluff at Memorial Stadium in Columbia. Quarterback Austin Simmons anchored the offense in his first start, completing 17 of 19 passes for 252 yards and four touchdowns. Despite the large margin of victory, head coach Eli Drinkwitz publicly expressed frustration with the team's energy and sloppy play throughout the game. The Tigers' run game faced challenges as the offensive line struggled to establish a push at the line of scrimmage in the absence of injured running back Ahmad Hardy. Several transfers contributed to the win, including receiver Cayden Lee and safety Elijah Dotson. Mizzou now looks to address execution issues following the lopsided result.

• 3:53 AMYahoo Sports — Mizzou Football: Five Takeaways from 54-14 win over Arkansas Pine-Bluff