Mizzou Football Changes Date of 2026 Season Opener

The countdown to Missouri's 2026 opener has become a few days shorter.

Nov 18, 2023; Columbia, Missouri, USA; A general view of fireworks being set off prior to a game between the Missouri Tigers and Florida Gators at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. | © Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Missouri football's 2026 season opener has been moved up three days, the team announced in a press release Tuesday.

Instead of kicking off its season on Saturday, Sept. 5, the Tigers will instead open their season on Thursday, Sept. 3 against Arkansas-Pine Bluff.

This is the fifth straight season that Missouri has opted to move up its Week 1 game to Thursday.

"There's a lot of different things that play into that decision," head coach Eli Drinkwitz said in a press conference in April of 2025. "The strategic part is we get to open (fall) camp three days earlier. It gives us an opportunity to play that first game and gives us an extra time to prepare for our Week 2 opponent (Kansas), which is a pretty important game for us in the state. So, that played a large part into it."

Another part of it is considering the popularity of trips to the Lake of the Ozarks on Labor Day weekend.

"We want to provide them (fans) the opportunity to do everything that they want the last weekend of the lake season," Drinkwitz said.

This year's game will again be broadcast on the SEC Network, as was last year's. Moving the game to Thursday typically allows Missouri to be the sole SEC game on that day.

"The last component is the opportunity to really be one of the few shows on TV. And so you've got an opportunity to tell recruits, 'Hey, we're going to be on TV. Watch us.' You put your brand recognition on national TV," Drinkwitz said.

Moving the game up also has given the coaching staff additional days during the weekend to spend on the road recruiting. That didn't align with the schedule in 2025, however.

The season opener will be an extra special game for Missouri, as it will welcome fans to the renovated Memorial Stadium, which included $250 million in upgrades to the north end zone concourse. It will also mark the start of the 100th season at Memorial Stadium.