Mizzou Tigers’ 2026 football season opener has new date. Plus, spring schedule set
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- Mizzou schedules 13 spring practices beginning as early as Friday and ending March 19.
- Drinkwitz, OC Chip Lindsey (Mar 3) and DC Corey Batoon (Mar 6) will speak to media.
- No spring scrimmage in 2026 either due to ongoing stadium construction.
The Missouri Tigers will play their 2026 football season opener a few days earlier than planned.
Mizzou will play game number one of the season against Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Memorial Stadium on Thursday, Sept. 3. The game had originally been scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 5.
Kickoff will be 7 p.m. on the SEC Network. It’s the fifth consecutive year the Tigers will open the season in a prime-time TV slot.
The 2026 opener also marks the official unveiling of the renovated north end zone concourse as part of the $250 million Memorial Stadium Centennial Project.
“Opening the season on a Thursday night in CoMo is becoming a great tradition for our program,” MU football coach Eli Drinkwitz said in a news release. “We appreciate Arkansas-Pine Bluff and the SEC for working with us on the adjustment so our season opener can be broadcast nationally on SEC Network. There’s nothing like a renovated and full Memorial Stadium to kick off a season, and we’re excited to carry our program-record sellout streak into 2026.”
Missouri Tigers release 2026 spring schedule
Mizzou will hold 13 practices beginning as early as Friday, March 3, and ending on March 19.
The Tigers plan to practice on the following dates, per Mizzou Athletics: Friday-Saturday, March 3-4; March 6; March 7; March 10; March 11; March 13; March 14; March 17; March 18; and March 19.
Missouri did not stage a spring game last year due to ongoing stadium renovations. Because construction continues on-site, there will be no scrimmage in 2026, either.
Copyright 2026 Columbia Missourian
This story was originally published February 24, 2026 at 3:45 PM with the headline "Mizzou Tigers’ 2026 football season opener has new date. Plus, spring schedule set."