No. 13 Mizzou heads into Saturday’s top-15 showdown in Oxford with a short list of personnel questions that could shape how the Tigers handle No. 9 Mississippi on both sides of the ball.
The first one starts at tight end, where Brett Norfleet’s status took a hit Thursday night. Per Pete Thamel of ESPN, Norfleet moved from questionable to doubtful, and with Gavin Hoffman out as well, Mizzou’s available options narrow fast. Jordon Harris and Jude James would be the only tight ends left in the rotation with game experience if Norfleet can’t play.
That would put extra pressure on a room that has not produced the way it was expected to entering the season. Norfleet has been the clear focal point in the passing game, taking 14 of the unit’s 15 targets, with the lone other catch opportunity going to Harris.
Harris has been used mostly as a blocker, with 200 of his 223 offensive snaps this season coming in pass- or run-blocking situations. James has been on the field for just 69 offensive snaps.
If Mizzou wants any pass-game impact from the position, both players would have to take on much larger roles. James would also likely need to absorb Norfleet’s run-blocking responsibilities.
There’s at least a window for that group to make an impact. Ole Miss has allowed an opposing tight end to top 30 receiving yards in four of its five games this season. The last Mizzou tight end to do that was Oct. 11, 2025, against Alabama.
Linebacker depth is also a concern. Jeremiah Beasley is doubtful, and Robert Woodyard Jr. is questionable, which leaves the Tigers needing more answers in the middle of the defense.
Beasley ranks third among Mizzou linebackers in defensive snaps with 110, and he has already been asked to handle more when injuries have forced the issue. He played 30 snaps against Florida when Woodyard and Nicholas Rodriguez were dealing with injuries, then added 11 more against Texas A&M.
If Beasley can’t go, Mizzou will be digging deeper. Brian Huff was listed as the alternate with Beasley on Week 7’s depth chart, though he has logged only three SEC snaps.
Bobby Washington Jr. saw six snaps against Texas A&M and was used as a QB spy, according to Eli Drinkwitz after the game. That same kind of usage could be in play again.
There is better news on the edge. Darris Smith is probable for Saturday, which points to a return after he tried to play against Texas A&M but only got five snaps.
The last full game from Smith came at Kansas, where he was a major force with eight pressures. Mizzou was credited with 40 pressures that night by PFF, and since then the team totals have been 12, 8, 17 and 17.
Getting Smith back matters because the Tigers are close to having their full pass-rush group together again with Smith, Langden Kitchen and Daeden Hopkins. That could be huge against Trinidad Chambliss, whose numbers swing sharply when pressure arrives. Per PFF, Chambliss has an adjusted completion percentage of 58.8 when pressured, compared to 76.5 when kept clean, which ranks 10th among SEC quarterbacks.
Saturday also brings Mizzou its toughest quarterback test of the season. Chambliss is viewed as a first-round pick in the 2027 NFL Draft and has already shown he can stress a defense in a lot of different ways. He can work every level of the field, has nine completions of 20-plus yards, and has seven big-time throws in that range.
“He’s able to extend plays, he’s got a really quick release, he see’s the field really well and throws with anticipations,” Drinkwitz said. “All those things are hallmarks of a good quarterback.”
Drinkwitz also pointed to the defense’s recent uptick, while making clear this game changes the script.
“Those guys are playing really, really hard, very physical in the trenches and tackling really well, which I think is the hallmark of a really good defense. I’ve been impressed with these these past two games.
This game’s a whole new challenge; it’s a totally different challenge with the quarterback, the running back, wide receiver, and the tempo. So we have to transition from patting ourselves in the back to getting our cleats in the ground and getting set and making sure we’re ready to go.”
That leaves Mizzou facing the kind of Saturday where availability matters almost as much as scheme. If Norfleet is out, if Beasley is out, and if Smith is back, the Tigers’ answer in Oxford will depend on how well the next men up handle the pressure.
In Other News...
Missouri Suddenly Has A Growing Problem Before Its Biggest Game
Missouris injury report has started to look like the kind of list a team hopes to avoid heading into its biggest game of the season. Multiple players are banged up, and the timing only adds to the pressure as the Tigers try to keep their momentum while also managing the wear and tear that has piled up around the roster. A bye week would clearly come in handy, but the schedule is what it is, and Missouri has to sort through the fallout now.
There is at least some good news on campus, where Missouri soccer handled Ole Miss with a 3-0 win behind Emily Deruckis opening goal. Elsewhere in the matchup chatter, player performances drew attention and former Missouri running back Lacy came up in discussion for his success at Ole Miss, a reminder that these cross-sport moments tend to keep the broader Missouri audience engaged even when the football injury outlook is the main concern. [Read more 🡒]
Mizzou Just Got A Huge Mark Mitchell Boost In Its NCAA Fight
A court ruling on Friday gave Missouri and a handful of other programs a meaningful short-term boost in their fight with the NCAA, at least for now. The temporary injunction blocks the association from enforcing eligibility rules that would have sidelined athletes from the Class of 2022 during the 2026-27 NCAA Division I season, while also pausing enforcement of NCAA Bylaw 12.6 and related restrictions tied to transfer portal timing and terminated professional contracts.
For Mizzou, the timing matters because Dennis Gates had already backed the players at the center of the case, including Mark Mitchell and C.J. Gunn. Their eligibility questions had hung over the program as the legal proceedings played out, and the injunction gives Missouri some breathing room while the larger fight continues, even if the final answer is still unresolved. [Read more 🡒]
Missouri's Pass Rush Gets Its Biggest Test Against Trinidad Chambliss
Trinidad Chambliss has spent the season building a reputation as one of the SECs most difficult quarterbacks to pin down, and Missouris defense is about to see that challenge up close. The upcoming matchup puts one of college footballs liveliest playmakers against a Tigers front that has been a point of pride, with Missouri leaning on its defensive line to set the tone against a quarterback who has already stood out against a tough schedule.
Chambliss brings a style that can turn a broken play into a highlight, and Missouri will have to stay disciplined through every snap. His improvisational work against Georgia drew national attention, which only adds to the intrigue here, because the Tigers are the kind of team that can make a quarterback earn everything. How well Missouris key defenders close down those escape lanes may end up defining the game. [Read more 🡒]