Mizzou football 2025 preview: Bold predictions, game-by-game picks for MU Tigers
Change is good … right?
In the case of Mizzou football, there’s a great deal of change entering a new season.
As the Tigers gear up for 2025, the absence of key figures who made the Cotton Bowl and Music City Bowl wins possible looms over head coach Eli Drinkwitz’s squad.
Brady Cook is out the door, and out went his top targets in Luther Burden III and Theo Wease. The running back duo of Nate Noel and Marcus Caroll has also departed. A big piece of the offensive line in Armand Membou went No. 7 overall in the NFL Draft.
For a team that already ranked in the bottom half of the SEC in points per game last season (10th with 28.9), the concept of change may be unsettling.
Add to that: As the Tigers get closer to kickoff against Central Arkansas, there still isn’t a clear answer at QB1 between transfer Beau Pribula and returner Sam Horn, fresh off Tommy John surgery and being drafted with a late-round selection by the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Tigers fans — none of that is to scare you. There’s plenty of excitement surrounding this program, like a defensive unit that locked down coordinator Corey Batoon to maintain the success of last year’s top-20 defense.
Drinkwitz added Louisiana-Monroe transfer Ahmad Hardy, who rushed for 1,351 yards, and brought in Mississippi State transfer Kevin Coleman Jr. after he posted 932 receiving yards last season.
There’s a lot on the line for the Tigers, between the renewal of the Border War and the possibility of a third consecutive 10-win season for the first time in program history. Can all this change add up to a historic season for Drinkwitz and the Tigers?
With that, here are five bold predictions for the 2025 Tigers, as well as game-by-game picks.
1. Sam Horn wins the starting job
Pribula, a Pennsylvania native, grew up wanting to play football for Penn State. He said goodbye to his childhood dream in the offseason, in hopes of securing a starting job elsewhere.
Unfortunately for him, I think he’ll start his time with the Tigers in a similar position — backing up Sam Horn.
On paper, Pribula looks like he’d be the guy for Drinkwitz. Horn only has eight passing attempts in his QB career dating back to 2022, though I think it’s telling that Drinkwitz said earlier this week that there hasn’t been “any separation” in the quarterback battle, according to media reports.
When it’s all said and done, I think Drinkwitz will stick with the guy who has waited patiently on the sidelines with Mizzou. But with that being said…
2. Matt Zollers will play some snaps in 2025
While Pribula and Horn are duking it out for the QB1 role, don’t forget: Drinkwitz has a consensus four-star freshman quarterback waiting in the wings. And Drinkwitz has been complimentary of Zollers during fall camp.
With significant momentum riding into this season, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Zollers thrown into action, or even make a start down the line, should the Tigers run into a rough patch.
MU will be looking to exhaust any new options for an offense finding a new identity. Will we see it at the QB spot?
3. Ahmad Hardy will break Cody Schrader’s single-season rushing record
Remember my mention of Noel and Carroll’s departures earlier on?
Hardy easily fills that hole in production on the ground. The sophomore transfer was one of four FBS running backs who registered 1,000 rushing yards after contact last season at UL-Monroe, and was in pretty solid company alongside two first-round picks in Ashton Jeanty and Omarion Hampton.
Former Mizzou walk-on Cody Schrader eclipsed 1,627 yards his final year in Columbia, setting the program’s single-season rushing record. With the numbers Hardy put up as a true freshman, I don’t think this is out of reach for him this season.
4. Zion Young will lead the team in tackles
One of last season’s newcomers, Young tallied 41 total tackles with the Tigers, and he has consistently gotten better every year he’s played at the college level.
He made 26 tackles in his last year with Michigan State in 2023, and I think that 2025 will be Young’s true breakout year as an edge rusher.
5. Mizzou hits the over on wins this season.
Let’s check in with Vegas.
FanDuel currently has Mizzou’s win total at 6.5. That would be a significant regression from a 10-win season, but picking the under and thinking that the Tigers either barely reach bowl eligibility or outright miss it with this schedule (that doesn’t feature SEC heavyweights Georgia, LSU and Texas) isn’t a notion I particularly agree with.
Let’s get to the why.
Mizzou football game-by-game picks
Aug. 28 vs. Central Arkansas: There’s really no reason for the Tigers to drop this one. They’ve never lost to an FCS opponent since Division I-AA reorganized as the FCS in 2006, and under Drinkwitz, the Tigers have outscored FCS opponents 179-55.
My pick: Mizzou 40, Central Arkansas 6.
Sept. 6 vs. Kansas: If you scrolled down just to read this pick, I totally understand. But this will be an interesting one, even for reasons beyond the renewal of the Border War. These are two programs that lost significant offensive production last year (Kansas lost RB Devin Neal, WR Lawrence Arnold, WR Quentin Skinner, WR Luke Grimm and TE Jared Casey), and the cornerstones of the defense are also gone. I don’t know if you can call a Week 2 game a “must win,” but with the history between these programs (and states), it really feels like one.
I think the Tigers get the edge at Faurot. It won’t be pretty, but Drinkwitz and Co. will get it done in front of a home crowd.
My pick: Mizzou 24, Kansas 21.
Sept. 13 vs. Louisiana: Don’t look at this one as a guaranteed win. I think the Ragin’ Cajuns will be, quite frankly, an annoying test for Mizzou, especially fresh off the Border War and one week before MU’s SEC opener. Louisiana won five of its 10 games by at least two touchdowns last season and made it to the Sun Belt Championship game. But this team is another squad potentially marred by change, losing two of its top receiving targets to the portal. QB Walker Howard now leads the offense as a redshirt junior. Still, don’t fully count out the Cajuns — at least to keep it close.
My pick: Mizzou 21, Louisiana 14.
Sept. 20 vs. South Carolina: Drinkwitz’s revenge over Shane Beamer? The Tigers suffered a heartbreaker when they visited the Gamecocks last fall: QB LaNorris Sellers’ heroics pulled SC ahead with 15 seconds left. It was Beamer’s first win over Mizzou since taking over the Gamecocks in 2021. With South Carolina coming to this Columbia, this game will be one of the most important of the season for Mizzou. I don’t think Drinkwitz lets Beamer get another win here. My pick: Mizzou 28, South Carolina 21.
Sept. 27 vs. UMass: It’s Mizzou’s turn to host as part of this (somewhat odd) home-and-home deal. This time, with the Minutemen back in the MAC, they’re also bringing new head coach Joe Harasymiak. What might seem new, though, doesn’t change the fact that UMass has won 26 total games since it moved to the FBS in 2012. And Mizzou beat the Minutemen, well, handily on their own turf last year, 45-3.
My pick: Mizzou 48, UMass 0
Oct. 11 vs. Alabama: What a way to close out six straight home games, right? Mizzou is getting into the meat of its schedule, starting with the Crimson Tide fresh off a bye week. Still, even with an extra week to prepare, it’s Alabama. And even in what was considered a down year for the Crimson Tide last season, they still handed Mizzou one of its three losses in blowout fashion. I think this is where the Tigers get their first loss of 2025.
My pick: Alabama 28, Mizzou 17
Oct. 18 at Auburn: This really isn’t on the list of ideal places for your road opener, and last year’s matchup in Columbia was downright chaotic, with Cook returning from the hospital mid-game to lead the comeback. Both teams are different now, and the key will be limiting QB Jackson Arnold from throwing to any of his standout receivers, including two of the top-10 rated receivers from the portal (Eric Singleton Jr. from Georgia Tech, Horatio Fields from Wake Forest). It’s not the same Auburn team that gave MU issues at home last season; I’d say it’s gotten better.
My pick: Auburn 24, Mizzou 17
Oct. 25 at Vanderbilt: Drinkwitz has yet to lose to Vanderbilt with the Tigers ... but the Commodores retained a significant amount of the team that took the Tigers to double OT in Columbia. This time, particularly on the road, I think Drinkwitz takes his first loss to the Commodores.
My pick: Vanderbilt 30, Mizzou 21
Nov. 8 vs. Texas A&M: I really wasn’t exaggerating when I said that Mizzou was getting into the meat of its schedule with the Alabama game. And unfortunately for the Tigers, I have this being their fourth straight loss. The Aggies should absolutely be a playoff contender, and Mike Elko has them in a great position for that. My pick: Texas A&M 38, Mizzou 21
Nov. 15 vs. Mississippi State: Take a sigh of relief, the losing streak ends here. Mizzou went to Starkville last season and put up a convincing win over the Bulldogs. Mississippi State kept just five defensive starters after allowing the most points and yards per game in the SEC last season, and Mizzou should have no problem picking apart a brand new Bulldogs defense.
My pick: Mizzou 42, Mississippi State 10
Nov. 22 at Oklahoma: There is no doubt Oklahoma has Mizzou’s number, leading the all-time series 67–25, but the Sooners’ first year in the SEC wasn’t all they hoped. However, this game is a harder one to predict, and it depends on two things: Has Oklahoma improved from what it was last year? And how has coach Brent Venables put the pieces together? Oklahoma will be the favorite to win in Norman, but I think an upset win for the Tigers here will define the season.
My pick: Mizzou 31, Oklahoma 28
Nov. 29 at Arkansas: Of course, we’re ending with the Battle Line Rivalry on the road. Mizzou has won the last three contests against the Razorbacks. Arkansas lost significant offensive production, and QB Taylen Green is the returning leading rusher for the Razorbacks. Arkansas took on three G5 receivers from the portal, including Biletnikoff Award preseason watch list member O’Mega Blake. I think Mizzou maintains its success in the rivalry and ends the season on a high note.
My pick: Mizzou 30, Arkansas 17.
Final Record: 8-4 (4-4 SEC)
