The Missouri Tigers will open their 2026 season Thursday night when it hosts Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Memorial Stadium in Columbia, Missouri.
Missouri enters the matchup ranked No. 25 in the Associated Press Top 25 and will look to begin the season with a strong performance at home. Arkansas-Pine Bluff, meanwhile, will face an SEC opponent in its season opener and will have the opportunity to make an early statement against a ranked team.
Missouri is coming off a 2025 season in which it finished 8-5 overall and 4-4 in SEC play before falling to Virginia in the Gator Bowl. The Tigers turn to quarterback Austin Simmons, an Ole Miss transfer who takes over the starting job for the 2026 season.
Arkansas-Pine Bluff finished 4-8 last season, including a 2-6 mark in Southwestern Athletic Conference play. The Golden Lions will try to carry that momentum into a difficult road matchup against an SEC opponent.
How to Watch Arkansas-Pine Bluff at No. 25 Missouri
Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images
- Date: Thursday, Sept. 3
- Time: 8 p.m. ET
- Location: Memorial Stadium/Faurot Field, Columbia, Missouri
- TV: SEC Network
- Live Stream: ESPN App/ESPN.com with participating TV-provider credential
Missouri: Head coach Eli Drinkwitz; quarterback Austin Simmons. The Tigers will be without starting running back Ahmad Hardy and starting left tackle Cayden Green for the opener. Defensive tackle Sterling Webb was recently ruled eligible to return but his availability against UAPB remained uncertain entering kickoff.
Arkansas-Pine Bluff: Head coach Alonzo Hampton; quarterback Garrison Davis. Davis opened the season with 182 passing yards and two touchdowns against Morehouse, while wide receiver Demetric Whitlock Jr. posted 160 yards and three touchdowns. Running back Jalen Williams also added 76 rushing yards and a touchdown. No significant UAPB injuries were reported entering the Missouri game.
The game gives Missouri its first chance to defend its national ranking, while Arkansas-Pine Bluff will attempt to pull off an upset on the road.
College Football Conference Predictions
Athlon Sports predicts the finishing order for teams in the following conferences:
- ACC
- American
- Big 12
- Big Ten
- Conference USA
- MAC
- Mountain West
- Pac-12
- SEC
- Sun Belt
