Mizzou is heading into Saturday’s SEC showdown at Ole Miss with a major defensive boost.
According to a Friday afternoon report from ESPN insider Pete Thamel, linebacker Robert Woodyard Jr. is expected to suit up when the 13th-ranked Tigers face No. 9 Ole Miss in Oxford.
The matchup, which kicks off at 3:30 p.m. ET on SEC Network, will put Mizzou’s defense against Trinidad Chambliss and a ranked Rebels team on the road.
Thamel said almost exactly 24 hours before kickoff that the senior “will play for the Tigers tomorrow at Ole Miss.”
That’s a notable shift after Woodyard was listed as questionable on Thursday night’s SEC injury report. His reported availability turns a watch-list status into a full green light for one of Mizzou’s biggest tests of the season.
Defensive tackle Sterling Webb is still not firmly in the clear. Thamel reported that he will be a game-time decision for the Week 7 trip, matching the questionable designation he received on Thursday night’s injury report.
Woodyard has been one of Mizzou’s key defensive pieces this season, piling up 43 total tackles, including 9 solo stops, along with 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery and 1 interception in 2026. This is his first season with the Tigers after four years at Auburn.
Webb has contributed 8 total tackles, 1 solo, and 1 sack this season.
With Woodyard apparently available, Mizzou goes into Oxford with one less concern on defense as it tries to pull off a road win in Week 7.
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