In a 42-6 victory against UMass on Saturday evening in Columbia, the same themes continued to appear with Eli Drinkwitz’s team. This week, it was mostly positive ones throughout.
By the 12:16 mark of the second quarter, it was a 103–16 split in rushing yards. Mizzou was unsurprisingly on the dominant side, with Ahmad Hardy and Jamal Roberts combining for three touchdowns by halftime.
The Minutemen hung on minute by minute until the 4:45 mark of the second quarter. Hardy’s one-yard rush put the Tigers firmly in the driver’s seat, up 21-6. Both teams are on opposite sides of the coin this season: while Mizzou’s undefeated record remains, UMass’s winless mark stays intact.
“It’s good to be undefeated with things to improve,” Drinkwitz said. “That’s kind of the mentality of our coaching staff and our players. During the bye week, we’ve got to sharpen our edge and not get complacent.”
Hardy featured more in the second half despite the Tigers’ advantage and continued to add to his dominant year on the ground. In his fifth consecutive game with at least 100 rushing yards—while increasing his touchdown total to nine—his third score of the night put Mizzou up 28-6 with 11:33 remaining in the third.
It was arguably his most impressive touchdown of the night. After bowling over one Minutemen defender, Hardy tiptoed down the sideline at the one-yard line and stretched into the right corner of the south end zone. One might have thought that would conclude his performance, but Drinkwitz stuck with him through the remainder of the third quarter.
On the other side of the ball, Mizzou’s defense once again did the opposite of what its offense thrives on—they closed the gaps. That trend remained consistent, with UMass finishing with just 12 rushing yards total.
Khalil Jacobs, Zion Young, and Chris McClellan each notched three tackles. The Tigers have yet to allow more than 50 rushing yards in any game this season. Coming off a performance in which they held South Carolina to negative-nine yards on the ground, another suffocating effort from the defensive line is a positive sign before next week’s matchup with Alabama.
"For the most part, I thought [defensive line] did a nice job," Drinkwitz said. We kind of anticipated that we would knock out the run today. For us, it’s about improving, and again, we’ll get tested pretty good here too."
Quarterback Beau Pribula made history as well, setting a new Missouri record with 21 straight completions, breaking Chase Daniel’s previous mark. He capped off the record-setting night with a nine-yard touchdown pass to tight end Brett Norfleet, putting the Tigers up 35-6 late in the third.
“Every snap at quarterback is an opportunity to learn,” Drinkwitz said. “Bo’s accurate with the football, and he’s doing a really good job of managing the game, not getting too high or too low.”
Kevin Coleman was the primary beneficiary of Pribula’s accuracy, securing 12 receptions for 108 yards. That total doubled the next closest Tiger in receptions, Norfleet, and showcased Coleman’s ability to create after the catch.
“I like to show my yards after catch, like a playmaker with the ball in my hands,” Coleman said. “They were playing deep, so we knew we’d have to complete the quick game and make plays after.”
The final quarter provided some valuable reps for the backups. Fans got a glance at quarterback Matt Zollers, who completed one pass for 12 yards, while reserve running back Tavorus Jones scored his first touchdown of the season just 20 seconds into the fourth.
A perfect red zone conversion rate on six trips—with five of the six scores coming on the ground—underscored the same consistent message. Drinkwitz’s squad has been a force to be reckoned with on the ground, and while UMass may not provide the stiffest test, the Tigers’ dominance in the trenches continues to hold true.
For Missouri, even in a game that could have showcased Zollers’ arm, the ground game remained king. Seven different players recorded carries, a trend that might narrow as SEC play ramps up—but one that leaves little doubt about the Tigers’ offensive identity.