Missouri Tigers are 5-0 after blowout win over UMass. Here’s what we learned
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Missouri improved to 5-0 with a 42-6 homecoming win over UMass on Saturday.
- Quarterback Beau Pribula set a school record with 21 straight completions.
- Missouri faces four ranked SEC opponents in its seven remaining 2025 games.
While much of the college football audience tuned in to Alabama vs. Georgia on Saturday evening, there was some other SEC football happening further north.
The No. 20 Mizzou Tigers played host to UMass on Saturday, finally completing the other half of a home-and-home agreement signed in 2018. The Tigers celebrated their homecoming with a 42-6 win, with a gauntlet of an SEC schedule about to get underway.
While the score was lopsided, the Tigers still have plenty to work on before Alabama comes to town after next week’s bye.
“It’s good to be undefeated with things still to improve,” head coach Eli Drinkwitz said.
One highlight of this week’s rout: Longtime Tiger Tommy Lock, cousin of former Mizzou star Drew Lock, saw his first game action. He’s been at Mizzou since 2021 and finally attempted his first pass Saturday.
“We wanted to get Tommy Lock in the game,” Drinkwitz said. “He’s been a really strong glue guy for us. He’s somebody that (comes up) when you talk about turning and changing the culture here.”
Matt Zollers also got game time, relieving starter Beau Pribula with the game out of reach.
Here are some other takeaways from Saturday...
Effciency from Beau Pribula
Pribula sat for the fourth quarter after the Tigers climbed to a 35-6 lead, but Pribula threw for 241 yards on an outstanding 26-for-29 passing. That’s a near-90% completion rate.
Pribula’s efficiency was enough to keep the Tigers moving the chains down the field, but there wasn’t too much of a deep passing threat. Pribula’s longest pass was 20 yards, and he only connected for one passing touchdown. That came in the third quarter to Brett Norfleet.
Kevin Coleman Jr. was Pribula’s favorite target on the night, collecting a career-high 12 receptions for 108 yards.
Pribula also completed 21 consecutive passes against UMass on Saturday, breaking Chase Daniel’s record of 20 from the Tigers’ 2008 win against Buffalo.
“He’s accurate with the football,” Drinkwitz said.
Pribula’s streak came to an end on a third-and-14. Pribula threw the ball away to avoid taking another sack toward the end of the third quarter.
He also threw one interception on Saturday.
Mizzou’s O-Line struggles to protect Pribula (again)
The offensive line has been a talking point all season. That was certainly true against Central Arkansas and Kansas. Pribula took five sacks between those games.
But the issue had looked like it was improving in the weeks to follow.
Saturday was another step back.
The Minutemen had only four sacks on the season entering Saturday. They matched their season total in one game with four sacks on Pribula.
Pribula lost 29 yards on those four sacks. The sack numbers loom large with tougher opponents ahead.
Mizzou’s defense continues to stand tall
Mizzou’s defensive front had another impressive showing, limiting the Minutemen to 19 yards on the ground.
The secondary had a few blips, allowing three explosive passes from quarterback AJ Hairston, as well as the Minutemen’s first passing touchdown all season.
But a Tigers defense that held Kansas to 31 yards rushing and South Carolina to minus-9 in the same area was dominant again.
“They’ve done a nice job,” Drinkwitz said. “But obviously we anticipated that we’d be able to knock out the run today, so for us it’s about improving and we’ll get tested pretty good here in two weeks.”
Another step toward Ahmad Hardy’s Heisman campaign
It would almost be negligent not to mention Ahmad Hardy.
Again, what an absolute gem Eli Drinkwitz found in the transfer portal.
Hardy ran for 130 yards with three touchdowns Saturday in an abbreviated day, sitting in the fourth quarter alongside Pribula and Coleman. That’s seven consecutive games of 100-plus yards for Hardy.
Mizzou’s schedule will get harder
The Tigers are 5-0, a start they matched in the 2023 Cotton Bowl season. Things are certainly trending up for them.
But don’t get comfortable.
Of the Tigers’ final seven games, they’ll see four ranked opponents in No. 17 Alabama (which upset No. 5 Georgia on Saturday), No. 18 Vanderbilt, No. 9 Texas A&M and No. 7 Oklahoma. Two of the unranked opponents have been receiving votes in the AP Poll in Auburn and Mississippi State, so there’s the potential to add to that list.
The Tigers weren’t perfect against UMass, but they didn’t need to be. Against tougher SEC competition, you can’t say the same.
“We cannot get complacent,” Drinkwitz said.
This story was originally published September 27, 2025 at 10:20 PM.
