RB Ahmad Hardy was named All-American after rushing for 1,649 yards and 16 touchdowns for the Tigers last season. (Photo: Terrance Williams)
COLUMBIA, MO — University of Missouri head football coach Eli Drinkwitz announced over the weekend that star running back Ahmad Hardy would not be available in the team’s season opener, Thursday, September 3 against Arkansas-Pine Bluff.
Drinkwitz did not give an official target date for Hardy’s return, but the belief is the Tigers hope he be back by the Tigers’ Southeastern Conference opener on September 26 against Mississippi State.
Missouri closed out its preseason training camp on Saturday and Drinkwitz spoke with the media, following that final practice.
“Ahmad is working his rear end off,” the coach said. “He’s doing everything we can ask him to do, but just not going to be able to be ready for the first game. We’re going to do the very best by him and his team and our medical team. Feel like right now it’s in his best interest to hold off. I want to make sure I get that out there to the fans now so there’s no false hope.”
Mizzou’s Ahmad Hardy will miss the team’s season opener against Arkansas-Pine Bluff on September 3. (Photo: Terrance Williams)
The Missouri at Mississippi State is the Tigers’ fourth game of the season. Mizzou will play at rival Kansas in Week 2 (September 11), then host Troy in Week 3 (September 19).
Drinkwitz said after last week’s team scrimmage that Hardy was “still continuing to do rehab” and that he had not yet been cleared to practice, after sustaining a gunshot wound in May.
“He was out there this afternoon cheering on his teammates,” Drinkwitz said. “He still isn’t able to get in the walk-through stuff, but he’s progressing in the weight room and in his speed training.”
Hardy has made periodic appearances at Tiger practices this month. He stood with the running backs while they worked on pass protection drills and talked about different plays, following a seven-on-seven scrimmage against the defense.
The Mississippi native was a consensus All-American and Doak Walker Award finalist last season and heading into this season, Hardy was named a preseason All-SEC player, by both the league coaches and media, and was also named a preseason first-team All-American by the Associated Press.
Senior and St. Louis native Jamal Roberts will start at running back for Mizzou in its season opener against Arkansas-Pine Bluff. (Photo: Terrance Williams)
St. Louis native Jamal Roberts, a standout from St. Mary’s High, who rushed for 753 yards and six touchdowns last year, will serve as Mizzou’s starting running back in next week’s season opener, with transfers Xai’Shaun Edwards and Malae Fonoti holding down the backup RB roles.
No. 25 Mizzou’s season opener against Arkansas-Pine Bluff will be on Thursday, September 3, with kickoff set for 7 p.m. The game will be televised live nationally on the SEC Network.
2026 MIZZOU TIGERS FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
| Date | Time | At | Opponent | Location | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 3, 2026 (Thursday) | 7 pm | Home | Arkansas- Pine Bluff | Faurot Field |   |
| September 11, 2026 (Friday) | 7 pm | Away | Kansas | Lawrence, Kan. / David Booth Memorial Stadium |  |
| September 19, 2026 (Saturday) | 11:45 am | 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 |