Missouri Football Faces Key Roster Shifts Ahead of Gator Bowl, While Stars Eye NFL Futures
The Missouri Tigers are heading into their Gator Bowl matchup against Virginia with a very different look on offense-and the changes could ripple well beyond December 27.
Senior quarterback Beau Pribula, who transferred to Mizzou from Penn State ahead of the 2025 season, is officially on the move again. According to multiple reports, Pribula has entered the NCAA transfer portal, ending his brief tenure in Columbia.
Pribula’s time with the Tigers was a mix of promise and frustration. He earned the starting job early in the season and showed flashes of what made him a coveted transfer-completing 67.4% of his passes for 1,941 yards, 11 touchdowns, and nine interceptions.
He also added six scores on the ground, rushing for 297 yards. But his season was derailed by an injury suffered in late October against Vanderbilt, sidelining him for several weeks.
As of Thursday, his name was no longer listed on Missouri’s official roster.
Joining him in the portal is junior wide receiver Marquis Johnson, who will not suit up for the Gator Bowl. Johnson becomes the third Tiger receiver this month to announce a transfer, following redshirt freshman James Madison II and junior Josh Manning.
Johnson’s departure is a notable one. A three-year contributor with elite speed, he made an immediate impact as a freshman in 2023, averaging nearly 30 yards per catch and scoring three touchdowns on just 13 receptions.
One of those catches-a game-changing deep ball-helped tilt the Cotton Bowl in Missouri’s favor against Ohio State. But despite the early fireworks, the big breakout season that many expected never quite came.
As the year went on, Missouri’s offense leaned more heavily on Kevin Coleman Jr. and began working in younger talent like true freshman Donovan Olugbode, who emerged as a consistent threat down the stretch.
With Johnson opting out of the bowl game, the Tigers will look to Coleman, Olugbode, Xavier Loyd, Daniel Blood, Logan Muckey, Shaun Terry, and DaMarion Fowlkes to carry the receiving load against Virginia. Coleman, the team’s leading receiver this year, will be playing his final game for the Tigers before exhausting his eligibility.
Pribula and Johnson are now the seventh and eighth Missouri players to enter the transfer portal as the winter window approaches. The portal officially opens on January 2 and runs for 15 days, giving players a short but crucial window to find their next landing spot.
Ahmad Hardy Inches Toward Unanimous All-American Status
While the offense is undergoing a reshuffle, Missouri’s backfield still has a shining star in Ahmad Hardy-at least for now.
Hardy was named to the Sporting News All-American first team on Wednesday, making him just the third Tiger ever to receive that honor. Combined with earlier first-team nods from the American Football Coaches Association, the Walter Camp Football Foundation, and the Associated Press, Hardy is now one selection away from being a unanimous All-American.
The final piece of the puzzle? A first-team selection from the Football Writers Association of America, expected to be announced Friday.
For now, Hardy is officially a consensus All-American-Missouri’s 15th all-time. And it’s no mystery why.
The dynamic running back finished the regular season second in the country in total rushing yards (1,560) and led the nation in rushing yards per game (130.0). He’s also one of three finalists for the Doak Walker Award, which goes to the top running back in college football.
NFL Draft Stock Rising: McClellan and Pride Accept All-Star Game Invites
As Missouri prepares for its bowl game, a few Tigers are already looking toward the next level.
Defensive tackle Chris McClellan has accepted an invite to the Senior Bowl, widely regarded as the premier pre-draft showcase for NFL hopefuls. He joins defensive end Zion Young as Missouri’s representatives in the game, which takes place January 31 in Mobile, Alabama.
McClellan was a key piece of the Tigers’ defensive front this season, tallying 42 total tackles and five sacks. His ability to disrupt the interior line made him a consistent problem for opposing offenses.
Missouri fans will remember the Senior Bowl as a springboard for former offensive tackle Armand Membou, who played in last year’s game before being selected No. 7 overall by the New York Jets.
Cornerback Toriano Pride Jr. also received a postseason nod, accepting an invite to the Hula Bowl, which kicks off January 10 in Orlando, Florida. Pride wrapped up his season with 23 tackles, two interceptions, four pass breakups, and a fumble recovery. He’ll look to follow in the footsteps of current Jets quarterback Brady Cook, who also participated in the Hula Bowl earlier this year.
What It All Means
Missouri enters the postseason with a reshuffled deck-particularly on offense-but the foundation remains strong. While the departures of Pribula and Johnson are significant, the emergence of young talent and the continued excellence of stars like Hardy show that the Tigers are still trending upward.
And with several players now stepping onto the national stage through All-American honors and pre-draft showcases, Missouri’s program continues to build a reputation not just for winning games, but for developing NFL-ready talent.