The Gambles Mizzou Needs to Win in 2025: The Extra Point

If the Tigers hit on most or all of these gambles, they might just strike gold in 2025.

Sep 7, 2024; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers head coach Eli Drinkwitz on field after the win over the Buffalo Bulls at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Missouri Tigers on SI football reporter Joey Van Zummeren breaks down the biggest dice rolls the Tigers are taking in the 2025 season.

Welcome to Missouri Tigers On SI's "Extra Point," a video series featuring the site's Missouri beat writers. Multiple times a week, the writers provide analysis on a topic concerning the Tigers or the landscape of college sports.

Predicting what the Missouri Tigers' 2025 season will look like is a complete guessing game.

Until the Tigers take on South Carolina to open Southeastern Conference play in Week 4, there will be no great way to tell the true identity of this team. There's a lot of moving pieces and unknown commodities.

Especially on the offensive side of the ball. The defense is returning eight starters, compared to five on offense. Additionally, the transfers stepping into signifigant roles on defense have much more experience than those doing the same on offense.

Even the returning offensive starters themselves have some questions surrounding them entering 2025. Will Brett Norfleet and Connor Tollison be able to return to form after signifigant injuries? Will Joshua Manning be able to adjust to a feature role in the offense?

The biggest gamble for Missouri entering the season is undoubtedly the quarterback position, where either Penn State transfer Beau Pribula or redshirt junior Sam Horn will earn the starting job. Both are full of undeniable potential, but neither have been tested to show it.

All these gambles for the Tigers has led to some valid uncertainty.

But if they can hit on most or all, they might just hit gold.