Mizzou QB Austin Simmons threw for 252 yards and four touchdowns in the Tigers’ season-opening win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Thursday. (Photo: Terrance Williams)
| NCAA Football | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arkansas-Pine Bluff (0-1) | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 14 |
| #25 Mizzou (1-0) | 14 | 26 | 0 | 14 | 54 |
COLUMBIA, MO — The No. 25-ranked University of Missouri football team kicked off its 2026 season with a dominant 54-14 win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Thursday night, in front of a sell-out crowd of 63,609 at Faurot Field.
Missouri scored touchdowns on four of its first five possessions and led 40-0 at halftime. New starting quarterback Austin Simmons, a transfer from Ole Miss, looked fantastic in his Mizzou debut.
The 6-foot-4 lefty signal-caller from Miami completed 17-of-19 passes for 252 yards and four touchdowns as he continually led the Tigers down the field against the visiting Golden Lions.
Sophomore receiver Donovan Olugbode caught two of those touchdowns and a career-high seven passes for 107 yards, while fellow sophomore Shaun Terry II and senior Cayden Lee, another transfer from Ole Miss, caught Simmons’ other touchdown throws.
For the night, Mizzou threw for 357 yards overall.
“Obviously, it was the emphasis for us to be able to throw the ball,” Mizzou coach Eli Drinkwitz said. “I felt like Austin really handled himself well, especially on third downs. We had multiple third and longs early, with an inability to run the ball at the efficiency that we need to. But for him to be able to trust the scheme, find the throws, wide receivers to get open was really good.”
Mizzou QB Austin Simmons threw for 252 yards and four touchdowns in the Tigers’ season-opening win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Thursday. (Photo: Terrance Williams)
With its starters in the game, the Missouri defense also had a dominant night, as it forced UAPB to go three-and-out four times on five first half possessions, forced a safety, and held the Golden Lions to just six total yards.
Junior linebacker Jeremiah Beasley, another transfer (from Michigan) making his first start for Mizzou, led the Tigers with seven tackles, including a booming hit on a third down stop that fired up his teammates and the entire 63,000+ person crowd.
Returning Tiger and new starter Brian Huff had four tackles.
“I thought our defense was great in the first half,” Drinkwitz said. “Our guys were really dialed in and didn’t let Pine Bluff get anything going really. It was fun to see. Those guys were fired up and played liked it the entire time they were out there.”
Mizzou LB Brian Huff (17) chases after UAPB QB Garrison Davis during the first quarter of Thursday’s NCAA football game at Faurot Field in Columbia. (Photo: Terrance Williams)
The second half was a bit different, with Missouri’s second- and third-teamers playing against UAPB’s starters. Both teams scored two touchdowns, with the Golden Lions moving the ball much better than they did in the first half, and the Tiger offense struggling some but moving the ball as well.
Mizzou got to use a number of its new running backs, including transfers Xai’Shaun Edwards and Malae Fonoti, fifth-year former walk-on Anthony Favrow, and true freshman Preston Hatfield, who led all Missouri rushers with an 8.5 yards per carry average and scored his first collegiate touchdown in the fourth quarter.
“It was nice to see some of the new guys get out there and show some of what they can do,” Drinkwitz said. “So it was a perfect night for me. Really excited in the first half and mad in the second half. I’ve got a lot of things to coach on. I promise you, the staff meeting will not be a lot of fun when you have some of the mistakes that we made.”
Mizzou WR Donovan Olugbode celebrates with teammates after scoring his second touchdown in the Tigers’ win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Thursday night at Faurot Field in Columbia. (Photo: Terrance Williams)
The win was the sixth straight for Drinkwitz in Mizzou’s season-opener. The Tigers will now turn their focus to archrival Kansas, for the annual Border War Game, next Friday night in Lawrence.
The win was the sixth straight for Drinkwitz in Mizzou’s season-opener. The Tigers will now turn their focus to archrival Kansas, for the annual Border War Game, next Friday night in Lawrence.
The Jayhawks play their first game of the season tomorrow night against Long Island.
Kickoff for the Border War Game is slated for 7 p.m., and the game will be televised nationally on FOX.
Mizzou’s next home game will come in two weeks, when the Tigers will host Troy, on Saturday, September 19. Kickoff at Faurot Field that evening is set for 6 p.m., and the game will be streamed live on SEC Network+.
SCORING SUMMARY
| Quarter | Time | Scoring Plays | UAPB | MIZ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Quarter | ||||
| 1 | 09:38 | MIZ – Austin Simmons 25 yd pass to Shaun Terry II (PAT good) | 0 | 7 |
| 1 | 04:16 | MIZ – Austin Simmons 14 yd pass to Donovan Olugbode (PAT good) | 0 | 14 |
| 2nd Quarter | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 12:56 | MIZ – Jamal Roberts 1 yd run (PAT good) | 0 | 21 |
| 2 | 05:52 | MIZ – safety | 0 | 23 |
| 2 | 05:44 | MIZ – Austin Simmons 35 yd pass to Donovan Olugbode (PAT good) | 0 | 30 |
| 2 | 04:01 | MIZ – Austin Simmons 47 yd pass to Cayden Lee (PAT good) | 0 | 37 |
| 2 | 00:00 | MIZ – Blake Craig 32 yd field goal | 0 | 40 |
| 3rd Quarter | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 02:31 | UAPB – Za’Marion Webber 27 yd run (PAT good) | 7 | 40 |
| 4th Quarter | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 10:00 | MIZ – Matt Zollers 5 yd run (PAT good) | 7 | 47 |
| 4 | 06:13 | UAPB – Jack Schierholz 16 yd pass to David Brewer IV (PAT good) | 14 | 47 |
| 4 | 03:49 | MIZ – Preston Hatfield 9 yd run (PAT good) | 14 | 54 |
2026 MIZZOU TIGERS FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
| Date | Time | At | Opponent | Location | TV | Results |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 3, 2026 (Thursday) | 7 pm | Home | Arkansas- Pine Bluff | Faurot Field |   | W, 54-14 (1-0) |
| September 11, 2026 (Friday) | 7 pm | Away | Kansas | Lawrence, Kan. / David Booth Memorial Stadium |  | |
| September 19, 2026 (Saturday) | 6 pm | Home | Troy | Faurot Field |  | |
| September 26, 2026 (Saturday) | TBD | Away | Mississippi State | Starkville, Miss. / Davis Wade Stadium | ||
| October 3, 2026 (Saturday) | TBD | Home | Florida | Faurot Field | ||
| October 10, 2026 (Saturday) | TBD | Home | Texas A&M | Faurot Field | ||
| October 17, 2026 (Saturday) | TBD | Away | Ole Miss | Oxford, Miss. / Vaught Hemingway Stadium | ||
| October 31, 2026 (Saturday) | TBD | Away | Arkansas | Fayetteville, Ark. / Razorback Stadium | ||
| November 7, 2026 (Saturday) | TBD | Home | Texas | Faurot Field | ||
| November 14, 2026 (Saturday) | TBD | Away | Georgia | Athens, Ga. / Sanford Stadium | ||
| November 21, 2026 (Saturday) | TBD | Home | Kentucky | Faurot Field | ||
| November 28, 2026 (Saturday) | TBD | Home | Oklahoma | Faurot Field |