Mizzou report card: Grading the Tigers’ opening blowout against Central Arkansas
What a way to start the season.
Mizzou football opened 2025 with a dominating 61-6 win over Central Arkansas on Thursday. Under head coach Eli Drinkwitz, the Tigers have outscored their FCS opponents 240-61.
Thursday’s win gave fans their first look at several new Tigers, like quarterback Beau Pribula and running back Ahmad Hardy, while some familiar faces made big plays, like wideout Marquis Johnson.
“Proud of our football team,” Drinkwitz said postgame. “Thought they fought well tonight, thought they competed really hard. Really pleased with the way our three phases came together.”
Here are grades from the Tigers’ season-opening win...
Missouri offense
In a 61-6 game, it’s hard to give the offense a grade of anything other than an A, especially given a few individual performances.
Pribula, of course, was the highlight in his time on the field before handing the ball to freshman Matt Zollers in the third quarter. Pribula went 23-for-28 passing for 283 yards and two scores, in addition to two touchdowns on the ground. He excelled right out the gates, throwing a dart on his first pass as a Tiger.
“I was pleased,” Drinkwitz said. “I knew he prepared well in fall camp. ... I thought his ability to extend plays — I thought that one big-time run was pretty (heads-up) there, and his ability to pull the ball on some of his own read stuff was nice. He threw the ball really well, too, so it was good.”
Hardy complemented Pribula’s strengths on the ground with 100 yards on 10 carries and a touchdown.
Grade: A
Missouri defense
The Tigers limited Central Arkansas to just six points across 227 yards of total offense. They tallied two sacks and forced two turnovers, including an 83-yard pick-six by Dante McClellan to get the Tigers to 60 points.
“I challenged them at halftime to get some sacks and takeaways because we didn’t have any at that point,” Drinkwitz said. “That was a heck of a pick by Dante McClellan. Wow, that was a heck of a play.”
Grade: A-
Missouri special teams
Blake Craig was automatic from deep on his two field goal attempts on the night, converting from 55 and 49 yards. Craig exited with a leg injury, but the Tigers still saw promising stuff from freshman Robert Meyer, who went 4-for-4 on PAT attempts.
Kevin Coleman Jr. also provided a spark in the return game.
Grade: A
Area of improvement
The offensive line will need to be better next week when Kansas comes to town. Pribula was often afforded only limited time in the pocket, and he was forced to take some hard hits and work hard to create extra time.
Player of the game
Pribula is this week’s player of the game.
The discussions of a quarterback battle made for some of the biggest headlines out of fall camp. Pribula put the conversation to rest in his first game in Columbia, regardless of Sam Horn’s devastating injury.
