The SEC’s first injury report for Wednesday night’s Mizzou-Arkansas matchup gives both sides some uncertainty, but Missouri comes in looking relatively clean. The Tigers have just three players listed as OUT, and that group does not include Ahmad Hardy, who is not labeled probable or questionable at this point.
Arkansas, on the other hand, has four players ruled OUT and three more listed as probable. The biggest name to watch is Razorbacks wide receiver Chris Marshall, who is questionable despite leading the team with 43 catches for 633 yards and two touchdowns this season.
The full report was released Wednesday night ahead of Saturday’s game in Arkansas, with more discussion available at RockM+.
Missouri enters the trip to Arkansas at 5-2 and No. 23 in the country, coming out of the bye week with its roster situation still worth watching. Hardy’s status remains a major storyline, especially after the questions raised about what his return could actually mean for the running game. Expecting him to step back in and immediately look like the player who led the SEC in rushing last season may be a stretch.
The bigger issue, though, is simple: how effective will Hardy be once he’s back?
Elsewhere around Mizzou, the eligibility situation involving CJ Gunn is still unresolved. A Boone County judge extended Gunn’s temporary restraining order to Monday, Nov. 2 at 5 p.m., just one day before the Tigers open their regular season against Cleveland State.
And as for the football side, the mood around this Arkansas game is pretty straightforward. There’s no promise of comfort here.
The expectation is that Missouri’s path in these remaining games will be tight either way, with wins or losses likely coming down to the smallest margins. The hope is that Saturday night breaks that pattern, and as one piece put it: “Just win, baby!”
In Other News...
Mizzou Just Got An Ahmad Hardy Twist Fans Have Waited On
Missouri got a small but notable lift on the availability front heading into its matchup with Arkansas, with running back Ahmad Hardy moving from out to unlisted on the SEC Student-Athlete Availability Report. The update means Hardy is technically in play for the Tigers, and it comes after head coach Eli Drinkwitz said the back has returned to practice even though the staff still has no firm timetable for when he will be back on the field.
For a Missouri offense that has been watching its injury report closely, the Hardy update stands out even with three Tigers still listed out. Arkansas has plenty to monitor on its own side, with eight players on the report and wideout Chris Marshall listed as questionable, but Missouris bigger storyline may be whether Hardys return is close enough to matter on game day. [Read more 🡒]
Auburn Gets One Last Chance To Clean Things Up Before Opening Night
The preseason tune-up slate across college basketball continues Thursday, Oct. 29, with eight exhibition games scheduled around the country, and there is a little something extra for Missouri fans to watch in one of the more notable matchups. Missouri gets UNLV, which now features former Tiger Sebastian Mack, while programs like Boise State and Northern Iowa also take the floor as coaches look for one more clear read on their rosters before the games start counting for real.
Auburn, meanwhile, closes out its exhibition calendar against Samford with one final chance to smooth out the rough edges before opening night. For a team still sorting through early-season rhythms, these dress rehearsals matter because they offer one last live look at lineups, rotations and conditioning before the spotlight gets brighter and the margin for fixing mistakes disappears. [Read more 🡒]
Mizzou Has A Rare Home Chance To Prove It Belongs In The SEC
Missouri gets a familiar course and an unfamiliar spotlight this week, hosting the SEC Cross Country Championship at Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia. The meet brings both the womens 6,000-meter race and the mens 8,000-meter race to a venue the Tigers know well, with live coverage set for SEC Network and a field that includes several nationally ranked conference powers.
For Missouri, the appeal goes beyond convenience. The Tigers have spent plenty of time preparing on the home course, and this is one of those rare chances to show how their setup stacks up against the SECs best when the stakes are highest. With a deep and competitive field arriving in Columbia, the home course edge will be tested almost immediately. [Read more 🡒]