COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) - No. 25 Missouri opens its season against Arkansas Pine-Bluff on Thursday night at Faurot Field. The Tigers are coming off an 8-5 season in which they lost to Virginia in the Gator Bowl.
They will have a new quarterback in Austin Simmons, who arrived as a transfer from Ole Miss. His top target could be his former Rebels teammate Cayden Lee, who also transferred to Missouri.
The Tigers will be without All-American running back Ahmad Hardy for at least the opener after he was shot in the leg at a party earlier this year. Arkansas Pine-Bluff is coming off a 4-8 season.
Story
Arkansas Pine-Bluff at No. 25 Missouri, Thursday, 7 p.m. CST
How to watch: SEC Network
Key stats
Arkansas Pine-Bluff (2025)
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Overall offense: 338.3 yards per game (84th in FCS)
Passing: 193.6 yards per game (79th)
Rushing: 144.6 yards per game (68th)
Scoring: 19.0 points per game (101st)
Overall defense: 455.5 yards allowed per game (118th in FCS)
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Passing: 233.7 yards allowed per game (81st)
Rushing: 221.8 yards allowed per game (120th)
Scoring: 35.4 points allowed per game (109th)
Missouri (2025):
Overall offense: 406.4 yards per game (32nd in FBS)
Passing: 178.1 yards per game (103rd)
Rushing: 228.3.9 yards per game (8th)
Scoring: 30.2 points per game (44th)
Overall defense: 257.5 yards allowed per game (7th in FBS)
Passing: 153.7 yards allowed per game (8th)
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Rushing: 103.8 yards allowed per game (13th)
Scoring: 18.9 points allowed per game (17th)
Team leaders
Arkansas Pine-Bluff (2025)
Passing: Garrison Davis, 86 yards, 0 TDs, 0 INTs, 65.0% completion percentage
Rushing: Jaylen Jennings, 839 yards on 177 carries, 10 TDs
Receiving: D’Avery Robinson, 457 yards on 44 catches, 2 TDs
Missouri (2025)
Passing: Austin Simmons, 744 yards, 4 TDs, 5 INTs, 60.0% completion percentage (at Mississippi)
Rushing: Ahmad Hardy, 1,649 yards on 256 carries, 16 TDs
Receiving: Cayden Lee, 635 yards on 44 catches, 3 TDs (at Mississippi)
Last game
Arkansas Pine-Bluff finished a 4-8 season with a 44-13 loss at Alabama State.
Missouri finished an 8-5 season with a 13-7 loss to Virginia in the Gator Bowl.
Next game
Arkansas Pine-Bluff hosts Alcorn State on Sept. 12.
Missouri visits Kansas on Sept. 11.
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