3 Forward-Thinking Thoughts From Mizzou's Loss to No. 19 Virginia

Instant takeaways from an ugly loss at the hands of the Virginia Cavaliers in the Gator Bowl.

Dec 27, 2025; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Missouri Tigers quarterback Matt Zollers (5) throws a pass against the Virginia Cavaliers during the second quarter at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Travis Register-Imagn Images | Travis Register-Imagn Images

The Missouri Tigers didn't look great in their 13-7 loss to the No. 19 Virginia Cavaliers in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl, dropping to 8-5 to close out the season. A win in this matchup would've secured history for the Tigers, but the ugly fashion of the loss and the hope that many had may leave a bad taste in some people's mouths.

The Tigers never generated any sort of offensive momentum outside of the first drive of the game and Virginia managed to dominate time of possession to ensure a win. Missouri's defense played well in the late stages of the game to give the offense a chance to take the lead, but they just weren't able to.

With the loss, Missouri failed to finish with three consecutive seasons with nine or more wins. Virginia, on the other hand, had its first 11-win season in program history.

Here are three quick thoughts about Missouri's loss in its final game of the season.

Zollers is up and down

Dec 27, 2025; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Missouri Tigers quarterback Matt Zollers (5) warms up before the Gator Bowl against the Virginia Cavaliers at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Travis Register-Imagn Images | Travis Register-Imagn Images

To keep it short and sweet, Matt Zollers didn’t look great against Virginia. He showed signs of bad ball placement, delayed throws and telegraphed throws. He looked like a freshman quarterback starting only his third game of his career. 

Zollers finished with 101 passing yards on 12-for-22 completion, along with one interception. Eli Drinkwitz did an ok job getting him into rhythm early in terms of the number of throws he was making, but the actual throws themselves just weren’t good enough. 

Drinkwitz and Zollers had multiple weeks to prepare for this game. Zollers did not exactly look prepared, outside of a string of completions at the very end of the game.

This shouldn’t be an evaluation of the future for Zollers, however. He isn’t ready at this very moment and that’s fine. That being said, a need for another talent at quarterback to challenge or mentor Zollers next season needs to be mandatory. The upcoming offseason for Zollers will also be a big one.

A need for offensive improvement is more clear than ever

Missouri Tigers running back Ahmad Hardy (29) reacts to his first down pickup during the first quarter of the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl at EverBank Stadium, Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025, in Jacksonville. Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The offense was bad against Missouri. Some may point fingers at the playcalling, presumably done by head coach Eli Drinkwitz, but there were plenty of execution issues that were even more alarming. On all levels, especially the offensive line, Missouri’s group that’s supposed to score points failed to do exactly that. 

Not much more needs to be said about Zollers and the passing game. He made many ill-advised decisions, but a few wide receivers also made mistakes. Donovan Olugbode and Kevin Coleman Jr. both ran crucial third-down out-routes too short, not giving the Tigers chances to convert on third down. Those are unacceptable mistakes from players who had great seasons this year. 

The offensive line did not do a good enough job generating push for running backs Ahmad Hardy and Jamal Roberts, who went down with an injury in the first half. Hardy showed signs of visible frustration all night, outside of a 43-yard run on the first drive of the game. There were rarely holes for him and it showed after many one and two-yard gains. 

In the second half, the Tigers went away from the running game. Neither part of the offense was truly functioning at a high level, but going away from Hardy and Roberts never made the most sense. There were multiple drives with three throws from Zollers, or two and a quarterback draw. With plenty of time in the late stages of the third quarter and early in the fourth quarter, going away from the run didn’t make sense. 

Hardy went a long period of time without getting a carry in the second half, but he eventually did become the school’s single-season rushing yards leader. In an ugly offensive game for the Tigers, Hardy’s season becoming a record-breaking one is something to hang a hat on.

Defense gets handled, but Rodriguez steps up

The way Virginia executed on offense was impressive, taking care of business on third and fourth down to keep the Tiger defense on the field. It appeared frustrating at moments, finding success in the early downs but struggling to get stops on the final ones. 

In the middle of that mess was the emergence of sophomore linebacker Nicholas Rodriguez. He was called on as a starter with an injury to sophomore star Josiah Trotter and Rodriguez took the opportunity with a head of steam. He finished with NUMBER tackles and NUMBER tackles for loss, with his total tackles being a career high. 

If Trotter opts to go to the NFL, the Tigers will need some help at the inside linebacker position. Rodriguez was a bright spot on the defense against Virginia and did show that he may be capable of seeing an increased role next season if called upon.

If Trotter returns, however, the Tigers could have one of the best linebacker groups in the SEC and maybe the country. Trotter was dominant this season and if Rodriguez continues to develop, that could be a lethal pairing. 

Rodriguez showed signs of maturity in this game, as well. He was a disciplined tackler, which has been an issue in the past, allowing his numbers to increase. This was a good showing for a player who will be looking for more next season as a junior. 

As a unit in general, the defense progressively got better as the game went on. Virginia wanted to lean on its running game in the third and fourth quarters and Missouri did a good job of counteracting that with Rodriguez, giving its offense, arguably, too many opportunities to get back into the game.