Takeaways from Mizzou's Season Opener against Central Arkansas

COLUMBIA, Mo. — Missouri football opened its 2025 season against the Central Arkansas Bears on Thursday at Faurot Field. In a sold-out stadium, the Tigers defeated the Bears 61-6.

Missouri fed off the electric energy of the home crowd and dismantled its opponent. Penn State transfer quarterback Beau Pribula led the offense in the first half, a half that ended with the Tigers leading 26-0. Quarterback Sam Horn was supposed to take the reins in the second half, but an injury derailed those plans.

Kicking off the season with such a commanding win is great for the Tigers, but the score was not the most important part of the game. Evaluating how a team with so much roster turnover and uncertainty would look in Week 1 was vastly more important.

Here are three takeaways from Missouri’s win over Central Arkansas.

Beau Pribula shines in first game as Missouri’s QB

A lingering storyline throughout Missouri’s offseason has been the situation at the quarterback position. Pribula and Horn have been competing for the starting role during fall camp, and while many thought the winner of that competition may be revealed by Week 1, Drinkwitz left it unclear by deciding to play both quarterbacks.

Many eyes were on Pribula and Horn, evaluating whether or not one would impress more than the other.

The Tigers knew that with Pribula, they were getting someone who could run. He showcased his talent with his legs on the very first offensive drive, keeping the ball himself on third down and converting it.

Pribula had another big moment in the second quarter when he rushed for it on fourth down, converting it slimly. His efforts kept the drive going and allowed Missouri to ultimately notch a second field goal and extend its lead to 12-0.

What was uncertain was Pribula’s ability to throw, but he largely shut those doubts down. His first touchdown pass came early, and it was 49 yards, the longest pass of his career. Later in the third quarter, he chucked another pass for 44 yards, demonstrating he can consistently excel at throwing deep.

At the end of the half, Pribula had completed 19 of 23 passes for 204 yards. He threw for two touchdowns and rushed for one.

Following Pribula’s first-half performance, it was Horn’s time to take the field. At least, it was supposed to be.

After a surprise appearance in the first quarter, Horn took a hard hit that left him on the field. He came into the game to run the ball, picking up 6 yards before the team had to call an injury timeout for him.

He was spotted in the locker room sporting crutches and a leg brace, effectively keeping him out of the contest. Pribula embraced the opportunity for more playing time, continuing to shine under the bright lights of Faurot. He finished out the game with 283 passing yards, two passing touchdowns, and two rushing touchdowns.

Inexperience of offensive line showed

Another question mark lingering around the Tigers was their offensive line. Missouri lost three starters from last season, and three new faces were expected to step up and fill those spots.

One such player who rose to the occasion and surprisingly earned a place with the first team was redshirt junior Curtis Peagler. He made his first start at right guard against Central Arkansas, which caused Dominick Giudice to slide from left to right guard, while Cayden Green shifted from left guard to left tackle.

The new lineup looked just that: new.

The inexperience of the group was exposed, which is concerning due to the opponent the Tigers faced. There were a multitude of issues, ranging from costly penalties to an inability to prevent pressure.

With 6:51 left in the first quarter, Peagler was penalized for a false start. After Missouri picked up a first down in the second quarter, Green was flagged for holding, which pushed the Tigers back to their own 30-yard line. Towards the end of the second quarter, Giudice had a holding call that wiped a 31-yard rush away.

More importantly, there were times the line struggled to perform its job, allowing the defense to get to the quarterback. Pribula took an ugly sack in the second that cost the team 7 yards.

While the offensive line did enough to help the team score, there were still glaring issues. Central Arkansas is one of Missouri’s easiest opponents of the year, so the line will need to improve before Week 2’s test that is Kansas.

Missouri’s offense lacked the explosive start many expected

Missouri entered the game against the Bears as heavy favorites, and while the Tigers ultimately succeeded in obtaining a hefty victory, there were some concerns at the start.

It took time for Missouri to settle in, which may be problematic against a stronger opponent if that trend continues.

Aside from the flash of arm talent from Pribula early, the offense was less than stellar in the first quarter. The only other points Missouri put on the board in the frame came from a 49-yard field goal by Blake Craig.

While it was encouraging to see the redshirt-sophomore kicker nail his attempt, it would have been more encouraging to see the Tigers earn touchdowns instead of leaving 4 points off the board. Missouri ended the first quarter with a 9-0 lead.

Things picked up in the second quarter, with Missouri adding another field goal, this time from 55 yards out. The Tigers also scored two more touchdowns to take a 26-0 lead into the half.

Missouri was plagued with slow starts in 2024, and that may be a hump the team still needs to overcome. Time will tell if that issue remains against more intimidating opponents.