Missouri’s matchup with Kansas could turn on a few lesser-known names, and the Tigers have reasons to watch each of them closely.
On the Kansas side, transfer wide receiver Nik McMillan looks like the primary weapon in the Jayhawks’ passing game. He led the team with six catches for 130 yards and a touchdown against Long Island in Week 1.
McMillan’s production isn’t new, either. At Buffalo in 2025, the senior posted 62 receptions for 981 yards and found 100 or more yards in each of his final six games.
That puts extra pressure on Missouri cornerback Chris Graves, who enters the game as the Tigers’ top option at the position in a rebuilt room that lost all three starters from last season. Graves, an Ole Miss transfer, will likely spend plenty of time across from McMillan on the boundary. Both players lined up mostly on the outside in Week 1.
Another Missouri defender worth keeping an eye on is linebacker Triston Beasley. He’s listed as the second-string linebacker behind Robert Woodyard Jr. on the roster, but he saw the second-most snaps in the position group against UAPB, finishing with 19. The junior has been a reserve for the last two seasons, yet this matchup with Kansas could be a chance for him to lock down a bigger role moving forward.
Beasley also knows something about the quarterback he may be chasing around. He faced Kansas starter Isaiah Marshall in high school, when Marshall’s Southfield A&T defeated Beasley’s Belleview in the 2023 Division I Michigan State Championship game. That familiarity could matter if Beasley is asked to help slow Marshall’s dual-threat game.
Missouri’s other name to watch is running back Ahmad Hardy. The junior made a strong first impression in his debut, rushing for 45 yards on seven carries and adding two catches for 14 yards. Edwards, who topped 1,000 yards at the FCS level with Houston Christian in 2025, now owns the backup job outright after injuries to Malae Fonoti and Ahmad Hardy.
Quarterback Brady Roberts has confidence in Edwards and offered him a simple message before the Kansas game.
"The advice that I give him is just play his game," Roberts said. "You can't really play fast when you're in your head or you're just thinking about different things, you know, just different techniques. Once you get on the field, it's more so like you play your game, you just be a playmaker... just trust your coaching, and you'll be good."
Missouri’s ground game started slowly against Arkansas-Pine Bluff, but Edwards got going after halftime. If he can provide a few early explosive runs against Kansas, it could give the Tigers’ offense the spark it needs.
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Missouri is still sorting through its backfield situation, while Kansas has injury questions of its own heading into a game that could hinge on how two inexperienced quarterbacks handle the pressure. Isaiah Marshall and Austin Simmons are both being asked to step into a spotlight that can turn quickly in a rivalry like this, and the availability of key playmakers on each side may end up shaping which team has the cleaner path when the hits start coming. [Read more 🡒]