Mizzou Has Identity, But Still Needs to Get Over the Hump: The Buzz

Watch the video above as Missouri football reporters Joey Van Zummeren and Michael Stamps give their thoughts on how the loss to Alabama wasn't the Tigers' best showing, but also proved what hump Missouri needs to be able to overcome.

The clip is from the latest episode of the "All Things Mizzou" podcast.

Previewing Mizzou at Auburn on the 'All Things Mizzou' Podcast

The opportunity for a program-elevating win was right in front of Missouri in Week 7 vs. Alabama. The only thing that got in the Tigers' way was themselves.

Penalties, interceptions and the lack of a run game all cost Missouri. But despite those mistakes, Missouri had the chance to win the game, taking possession trailing by three with 1:11 left. But, those chances ended when quarterback Beau Pribula threw an interception on third-and-10.

It's difficult to view that loss in a vacuum. Missouri has had similar opportunities over the past two seasons to beat the blue bloods of the Southeastern Conference before falling just a play or two short.

"We got to find that winning play, and that's really on me as the head football coach, to find that winning play for us and this program, and we got to keep working on it," Eli Drinkwitz said Tuesday.

Against No. 23 LSU in 2023, Missouri held the ball trailing 42-39 with 2:58 remaining. A win or, at the very least, overtime was right in front of Missouri. But a false start turned a third-and-1 into a third-and-6, where a high snap flew over quarterback Brady Cook's head, leading to a 26-yard loss. A pick-six Cook threw on the next drive was another nail in the coffin.

In the same year, Missouri had a chance to take down No. 1 Georgia to end what was a 25-game win streak. Missouri took possession with 8:59 remaining, trailing 27-21. But Cook threw an interception on the third play of the drive to end the Tigers' chances.

For as resilient as Missouri has been in one-score games over the last two seasons, the Tigers just can't seem to find that "winning play" in the most-important regular-season games.

The verdict is still out on the capabilities of this 2025 Tigers team. What's clear though is that the game against Alabama wasn't peak performance for the team though. There's optimism that Pribula will be able to improve throughout the season, especially considering he's still just a first-year starter. Plus, any game where Ahmad Hardy is only getting 12 carries isn't a great showing of Missouri's identity.

For all of the ways Missouri got in its own way against Alabama, the difference just came down to a few key plays, as has been the case for other games for the Tigers where wins would've put the program at another level.

Getting over that hump is what will determine how far Missouri can go this season.

Here’s the Buzz for Friday, October 17, 2025.

Friday's Mizzou Schedule

Cross country on Friday in Columbia, Mo. — Watch, Stats
Softball at Kansas City at 5 p.m. Friday in Kansas City, Mo.
Volleyball vs. Ole Miss at 7 p.m. Friday in Columbia, Mo. — Watch, Stats

Thursday's Mizzou Results

Soccer loss 1-2 to Texas A&M.

SEC News

SEC Daily: Predictions for the Biggest SEC Games of Week 8

Did you notice?

Missouri baseball alumni Max Scherzer pitched five strikeouts in the Toronto Blues Jays' 8-2 win in Game 4 of the ALCS. The performance put Scherzer at No. 5 on the all-time leaderboard for postseason strikeouts.

MAX. SCHERZER. #WANTITALL pic.twitter.com/vgrj7uGTYr
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) October 17, 2025

Missouri's offensive line was named to the Joe Moore Award Midseason Honor Roll. The recognitions keep coming for the Tigers.

Shoutout to the guys up front 🫡

Our OL unit has been named to the Joe Moore Award Midseason Honor Roll#MIZ | #STP pic.twitter.com/24piiESpmO
— Mizzou Football (@MizzouFootball) October 16, 2025

Missouri softball announced new game times for the weekend slate. The Tigers face WashU at 2 p.m. Saturday.

New times ahead of the weekend#MIZ🐯🥎 | #OwnIt pic.twitter.com/522mHgwctY
— Mizzou Softball (@MizzouSoftball) October 16, 2025

Missouri women's basketball will be led by first-year Tigers head coach Kellie Harper. Harper spoke at SEC Media Days in Alabama, discussing her approach to the season.

Our coach. pic.twitter.com/XeqK0BOlfR
— Mizzou Women’s Basketball (@MizzouWBB) October 15, 2025

READ: Everything Kellie Harper Said at SEC Tipoff '26

Mizzou Quote of the Day

“A year ago on this very day, I made the decision to return, and looking back, it has turned out to be the most incredible year of my life. As they say, it's not how you start, it's how you finish.”
Darius Robinson