Losing twice in three games, the next fixture for Missouri is against the undefeated Aggies. They won’t have Beau Pribula, who suffered an injury against Vanderbilt. It was a fourth-and-goal call at the 1-yard line, with the Tigers desperate to punch it in. The QB faked a pitch, kept the ball, and tried to bulldoze to the end zone, but the Commodores’ defense swarmed. As defenders tackled him, the pile bent his left leg awkwardly, and he writhed in pain.

Trainers quickly rushed over, fitted an air cast, and carted him off the field. The diagnosis? A dislocated ankle (no fracture), which is rare. It’s just 1% of such injuries and, thankfully, required no surgery. However, coaches expected Beau Pribula to miss the rest of the Tigers’ game. But in a major turn of events, Eli Drinkwitz is all set to receive some positive news on the QB’s return.

“The Tigers will start true freshman quarterback Matt Zollers on Saturday with Beau Pribula sidelined,” On’3 Pete Nakos updated. “Sources have told On3 that Pribula could make a return before the end of the regular season.” Good news, since the 22-year-old is a huge part of the Tigers’ plan.

The incident made Pribula’s night end pretty fast with 9 out of 14 completions for 68 yards, and zero touchdowns. After he went out, the coaches handed backup QB Matt Zollers the reins. The air just got sucked out of FirstBank Stadium. Linebacker Josiah Trotter summed it up perfectly: no one wanted to see their guy go down like that, and the mood took a sharp turn. But after the injury, Pribula didn’t fade away into the rehab; he became the leader the Tigers needed.

“He had a good message just after he got hurt,” center Connor Tollison said of Pribula. “Just about the opportunity we had. Everything’s still in front of us, everything we’ve been working for all year. So don’t let this slip away, and do everything we can to seize the moment.” There is a reason why Tollison can relate to this. He recalled last year’s injury that sidelined him and understood exactly what Pribula was going through. Before the injury, Pribula had been Missouri’s starter for all eight games, but now it’s on freshman Matt Zollers to take the reins.

What’s cool is that Pribula hasn’t abandoned Matt; he’s been mentoring him, helping him stay sharp. Teammates like Josiah Trotter and Jalen Catalon praise the way Beau and fellow sidelined QB Sam Horn have been “crutches” for Zollers. The 19-year-old has scored two touchdowns this season, including the Commodores’ one with 213 total yards.

It’s the Aggies coming to Columbia!

The Missouri vs the Aggies matchup delves into a very one-sided game. With Beau Pribula on the sidelines and Matt Zollers still getting a grip on the starting QB, Missouri has to lean heavily on its defense and running game. Their playoff hopes are alive against a near-perfect Aggies team sitting undefeated at No. 3 nationally. Texas A&M has been a powerhouse on the road, winning all three of its away games, including knocking off ranked teams with some serious dominance.

On top of that, their quarterback, Marcel Reed, is making a compelling Heisman case with 1972 yards and 17 touchdowns. On the flip side, Missouri’s strength lies in its defensive front, nationally ranked 13th in run defense. Edge rushers Zion Young and Damon Wilson II are troublemakers in the backfield, which could be key in slowing Texas A&M’s offense. But it won’t be easy. Aggies boast one of the nation’s best offensive lines, led by Midseason All-American Ar’maj Reed-Adams.

The Tigers will also need their running back, Ahmad Hardy, to carry a heavy load. Hardy’s been tearing it up this season, with 937 yards and 11 touchdowns, leading the SEC in rushing yards per game. That said, the oddsmakers have set Texas A&M as a 7.5-point favorite.