Final Review of Mizzou's Gut Punch of a Loss at Vanderbilt

What we learned about the Tigers in their second loss of the season.

Oct 25, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Missouri Tigers running back Jamal Roberts (20) runs the ball while defended by Vanderbilt Commodores safety Randon Fontenette (2) during the third quarter at FirstBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images | Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

No. 19 Missouri fell 17-10 to No. 9 Vanderbilt on Saturday. It was a brutal loss that makes the Tigers' path to the playoffs much more difficult.

In the loss, quarterback Beau Pribula suffered an ankle injury in the third quarter that sidelined him for the rest of the game. In his place, freshman Matt Zollers came in. He looked good, especially considering the circumstances.

Though Zollers remained calm and composed, delivering impressive passes and even tossing a touchdown, his efforts fell just short.

Here's our final review of the game after a closer look.

Player of the Game: There wasn't one player in particular who had a great showing, but if there was a player of the game, it would have to be Zollers. The situation he was thrown into was very intimidating, and he handled the moment well. He exceeded 100 passing yards in the air against a strong defense, and he protected the ball well.

Play of the Game: In the fourth quarter, Zollers threw a touchdown pass to redshirt freshman tight end Jude James. That tied the game 10-10, and it highlighted two less-experienced athletes stepping up in a big moment.

Stat of the Game: Missouri attempted five fourth downs, achieving four of them. That amounts to an impressive 80% success rate on fourth down. One of the fourth downs resulted in the touchdown for the Tigers.

Things you may not have noticed...

1. Missed opportunities are killers

Oct 25, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Vanderbilt Commodores quarterback Diego Pavia (2) throws from the end zone against the Missouri Tigers during the third quarter at FirstBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images | Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

Just like in the game against Alabama, the Tigers had several opportunities to win the game against the Commodores.

Missouri recorded more total yards than Vanderbilt did, racking up 376 to Vanderbilt's 265. Losing due to being outplayed is one thing, but losing when you played better according the statsheet is a different kind of disappointment.

Aside from having better stats, the Tigers had several opportunities that they failed to capitalize on. In the third quarter, Damon Wilson II grabbed an interception that gave Missouri the ball on Vanderbilt's 20-yard line.

At that point, it was a 3-3 tied game, so the defensive play gave the Tigers a great chance to get ahead. After failing to convert a fourth-and-2 on Vanderbilt's 2-yard line, Missouri came away with no points.

The Tigers were 1-for-3 on red zone attempts, while the Commodores were a perfect 2-for-2, and those missed opportunities for Missouri were the difference.

2. Beau Pribula wasn't the only Missouri offensive starter to leave with injury

Vanderbilt's safety CJ Heard (8) tackles Missouri's tight end Brett Norfleet (87) during their game at FirstBank Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025. | Denny Simmons / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Tight end Brett Norfleet left the game in the fourth quarter with an upper-body injury. He dealt with a shoulder injury that lingered throughout all of last season. Drinkwitz was unable to give much of an update after the game.

"He tried to give it a go but wasn't able to get back," Drinkwitz said of Norfleet. "So, I don't know. Good time for the bye week."

A tight end can be the best friend of an inexperienced quarterback, so having Norfleet gone would be a big blow for Zollers.

3. Freshmen impact the game

Missouri's quarterback Matt Zollers (5) is brought down by Vanderbilt's cornerback Kolbey Taylor (3) during their game at FirstBank Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025. | Denny Simmons / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

With Pribula exiting the game, Zollers entered. He was thrust into a game against a top-10 opponent on the road, an incredibly difficult situation for the freshman. All things considered, he looked pretty good.

He completed 14 of his 23 passes for 138 yards and ended the day with a passing touchdown. He was involved in a fumbled handoff, but otherwise, he played a clean game that should give everyone hope about his future.

"Really proud of him. I thought he did an excellent job," Drinkwitz said. "The moment wasn't too big for him."

Fellow freshman Robert Meyer drilled a go-ahead field goal in the second quarter. It was a 39-yard make, which is almost the exact same distance he missed from in the first overtime against Auburn. That was a 38-yarder, so seeing him nail a 39-yarder was encouraging.

Granted, Meyer missed a 29-yard try against Vanderbilt in the third quarter. Consistency is an area where he needs improvement.

James had a huge moment when he scored a touchdown to even the game 10-10 in the fourth. The score came on a fourth down, making James' effort that much more impressive. He played a more pivotal role after Norfleet suffered an injury.

4. Kevin Coleman Jr. had a productive day

Oct 25, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Missouri Tigers wide receiver Kevin Coleman Jr. (3) runs the football against the Vanderbilt Commodores during the second quarter at FirstBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images | Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

Coleman was a bright spot on an offense that didn't put up many points. He had 109 of the Tigers' 206 total receiving yards. He was the only receiver for the Tigers to surpass 30 yards.

Coleman looked strong, and at the end of the game, he was nearly Missouri's hero. With just six seconds left in the game, Zollers aired a 36-yard pass to the endzone, hoping for a miracle to extend the game.

Flanked by teammates and opponents, Coleman somehow managed to haul in the pass, but he was inches shy of the endzone. Still, he gave his team a chance.

5. Defense stands strong

Oct 25, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Vanderbilt Commodores wide receiver Tre Richardson (6) is tackled by Missouri Tigers safety Santana Banner (15) after a catch during the second quarter at FirstBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images | Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

Missouri’s defense has looked strong all season, but the secondary has been inconsistent. Against the Commodores, the defense as a whole looked good, giving up just 17 points.

One of Vanderbilt’s two touchdowns was a run play that went for 80 yards, which was more of a rare error from the front seven. It occurred in the third quarter, with Makhilyn Young breaking free for the score.

"That play (was) really disappointing because I thought we pretty much held them in check the entire game," Drinkwitz said.

The pass defense looked good, containing a strong opponent. Vanderbilt recorded 129 passing yards, the fewest that quarterback Diego Pavia has thrown for this season.