No. 19 Missouri will be without one of its starting EDGE defenders on Saturday night at Mississippi State.
Smith has been ruled out for the Tigers’ matchup with No. 24 Mississippi State after entering the week as questionable on Wednesday’s initial availability report. Missouri’s latest report on Friday changed his status to out.
Kickoff is set for 6:45 p.m. CT at Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville, Miss., with SEC Network carrying the game.
Smith’s status had been in doubt after he left in the first half of last Saturday’s win over Troy with what Missouri described as a lower-body injury. He did come back in the second half, but his workload stayed limited. Smith logged 13 snaps, finished with one tackle and added a half tackle for loss.
He has started all three games for Missouri this season. The 6-foot-5, 265-pound Georgia native has totaled five tackles, two tackles for loss and eight pressures, which ranks second on the team behind Daeden Hopkins’ 14.
The SEC’s availability report system, introduced in 2024, requires schools to publicly disclose the status of key student-athletes before conference games in football, men’s and women’s basketball and baseball.
For football, teams submit reports three days before kickoff, then update them daily before a final version is due 90 minutes before game time. Players are listed as “available,” “probable,” “questionable,” “doubtful” or “out” before game day, and as “available,” “game time decision” or “out” on game day.
Late or inaccurate reports can bring penalties ranging from $25,000 to $100,000 in football, and from $15,000 to $25,000 in basketball and baseball.
The next availability report for Missouri’s game against Mississippi State is scheduled for Thursday evening.
In Other News...
Mizzou Faces An Early SEC Test Fans Already Fear Could Expose Them
Week 4 brings an early measuring-stick Saturday for Missouri, with the Tigers headed to Mississippi State in one of four ranked SEC matchups on a slate that will start sorting contenders from pretenders. The full board also includes Texas at Tennessee, giving the conference a loaded day of high-profile games that should say plenty about where the league hierarchy is headed, even if September still leaves room for plenty of movement.
For Missouri, the trip is less about headlines than it is about proof, because a road game like this tends to reveal whether a teams strengths travel and whether the pressure of SEC play changes the picture. The matchup has already drawn expert predictions and betting angles, but the real tension is simple enough: can the Tigers handle an opponent that gives them an honest test, or will this be the kind of game that leaves fans wondering what the ceiling actually is? [Read more 🡒]
Texas Faces A Backfield Concern Right Before Week 4
Injury updates around the SEC already shaped up to be part of the Week 4 conversation on College GameDay, with ESPNs Pete Thamel laying out the status of several backs in the conference. Texas is expected to have Hollywood Smothers dress and try to go through an ankle injury, Ole Miss is bracing for the likely absence of Kewan Lacy because of a shoulder issue, and Floridas Eric Singleton Jr. is still headed toward a game-time call after his own ankle problem.
For Missouri, the attention turns to Ahmad Hardy, who has not practiced yet after surgery, leaving the Tigers to wait on a key piece as they move through the week. The timing matters because Missouri has already ruled him out for Saturdays game at Mississippi State, and the next step is about more than just pain tolerance, it is about whether he can get back on the field with enough ramp-up to be ready when the Tigers need him again. [Read more 🡒]
Mizzou Heads Into Another SEC Test With A New Lineup Problem
Missouri is heading into another SEC test with more shuffling to do on both sides of the ball. Defensive end Darris Smith was ruled out on the league availability and injury report for the game against Mississippi State, while star running back Ahmad Hardy and backup Malae Fonoti also showed up as out for the Tigers. It is the latest reminder that depth has become part of the week-to-week conversation as Missouri tries to keep its footing in conference play.
Smiths absence is especially notable because he had already been a key piece on the edge before getting hurt against Troy, and Missouri has to account for that loss while trying to steady a defense facing another physical opponent. Hardys status adds a different kind of pressure on the offense, since the Tigers are still waiting on his return timeline, and the backfield picture remains unsettled as Missouri looks for answers going into Saturday. [Read more 🡒]