Reacting to Mizzou's Portal Losses from Wednesday: The Buzz

Your daily briefing on what’s going on with Mizzou athletics, including full TV listings.

Sept 13, 2025; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers head coach Eli Drinkwitz in the second quarter at Faurot Field. | Cal Tobias/MissouriOnSI

In the final two days of 2025, nine Missouri players announced their intentions to enter the transfer portal, bringing the total tally to 18 for the Tigers before the transfer portal officially opens Friday.

The movement following the bowl game has made clear what was probably unavoidable for Missouri this offseason — the Tigers will have to do some heavy lifting to replace both starters and depth.

The depth on the roster has took the biggest hit in the last two days of the calendar. Missouri now has just three scholarship players set to return at cornerback and two at running back.

Additionally, Missouri has lost several young players in the last two days, making the value of recruting players out of high school even more of a question. Missouri has recruited 36 players out of high school over the last two years. As of Wednesday night, 18 of those players have transferred or announced plans to enter the transfer portal this offseason.

Watch the video above as Missouri football reporter Joey Van Zummeren gives his full thoughts on the portal attrition Missouri is facing as it hits the new year.

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Here's the morning buzz for Jan. 1, 2026.

1. Mizzou's Thursday Schedule
2. Did you notice?
3. Mizzou Quote of the Day:
4. Check out our social media:
5. Read more Missouri Tigers news:

Mizzou's Thursday Schedule

Women's basketball (13-3) vs. Texas (15-0) at 6:30 p.m. on the SECNetwork+ - Listen, Live Stats

Did you notice?

• Missouri director of athletics Laird Veatch penned a letter to fans to look back on 2025.

"Your support continues to help elevate standards at Mizzou," Veatch said in the letter. "This past football season we asked for your cooperation and patience as our stadium construction process unfolded, and you showed up in force every week, setting a program record with now 20 consecutive sellouts at Memorial Stadium."

Taking a look back at 2025 as we prepare for 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣6️⃣!

A letter from AD Veatch: https://t.co/7eFYfhq5zf#MIZ 🐯 pic.twitter.com/EMgkSmv60S

— Mizzou Athletics (@MizzouAthletics) December 31, 2025

• Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson is "hopeful" that former Missouri wide receiver Luther Burden III will return for the Bears in the team's regular-season finale Sunday. Burden suffered a quad injury on the final play of the Bears' Week 17 game against San Franscisco. Burden went for a career-high of 138 yards in the last-second loss.

Ben Johnson said the Bears are still evaluating Rome Odunze (foot) while Luther Burden III is a “hopeful” to play this week. Noah Sewell (Achilles) will go on injured reserve.

— Chris Emma (@CEmma670) December 31, 2025

• New York Jets head coach Aaron Glenn confirmed that former Missouri quarterback will start in Week 18 for the Jets, It will be the fourth-straight start for Cook.

Brady Cook will start the finale. Tyrod Taylor, excused for a few days (personal), is back with the team. Glenn says Cook gives them the best chance to win. #Jets

— Rich Cimini (@RichCimini) December 31, 2025

Mizzou Quote of the Day:

"You're gonna stamp your name on it every year that you play here; your name will be there.”

Gary Pinkel

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