Mizzou’s Homecoming theme for 2025 was “Call to the Columns”.
And the football team answered the call, defeating the UMass Minutemen by a score of 42-6.
Less than five minutes into the game, Jamal Roberts
found the endzone and the Tigers offense immediately set the tone.
Where was the other star running back? Ahmad Hardy could be found splitting the defense and breaking away on runs. He added to the Tigers lead with at the end of the first quarter with a touchdown before recording his second TD of the game with four minutes remaining in the half.
At the end of the half, Hardy had 8o yards and Roberts had 52. With only a fifteen point lead, Hardy came back charged at the start of the second half to put the game away. Hardy ended the day with three touchdowns and 130 yards. He passes former Tiger Kewan Lacy for the SEC lead in rushing touchdowns with nine.
While the offense jumped out quick, it took some time for the defense to wake up. After a UMass touchdown on their third possession, the Minutemen couldn’t add points to the board again. UMass averaged a possession time of just over a minute with 10 average yards gained per drive. Jalen Catalon led the charge with five tackles, helping the defense force ten consecutive stops. UMass only recorded eight first downs over the course of the game. They helped keep the lead protected, even if Mizzou’s play was a bit more sloppy than anticipated. The Tigers held UMass to 19 rushing yards as the O-Line kept a shutdown trend alive.
While UMass struggled most of the game, they had a bright spark in Timmy Hinspeter. He made his presence known with 17 tackles, a season-high. Additionally, he caught the interception and collected 63 yards.
Beau Pribula continued to show poise at the helm, even with his third interception in as many games. Not only did he set a Mizzou record with 21 straight completions, but he also helped Kevin Coleman Jr reach a collegiate-best 12 receptions. Pribula connected with 8 different receivers with Coleman being his favorite of the bunch. The quarterback ended the night with 241 yards.
Some fresh names and faces stepped out in the fourth quarter as Matt Zollers and Tavorus Jones connected for a touchdown, making it the fifth rushing TD of the night. It was also the first Mizzou TD for Jones. Additionally, it marked the second best yardage of his collegiate career with 24. The only game he’s had more yards in was against UMass in 2024 where he rushed for 41. Tommy Lock also recorded his first collegiate action.
While it started off slow, the Tigers showed composure to break away. It’s something that will be crucial as Mizzou heads into conference play. After a bye next week, Mizzou will stay at home to welcome the Alabama Crimson Tide on October 11th.
