The 2026 college football season is officially underway for Missouri after the Tigers opened their season Thursday against Arkansas-Pine Bluff. Missouri began the year in dominant fashion, cruising to a 54-14 win at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium.
Missouri entered this season with a handful of new faces in the program. Both sides of the ball, along with the coaching staff, welcomed reinforcements in hopes of bolstering the roster. While Arkansas-Pine Bluff was not the toughest test, several players delivered encouraging performances ahead of next week's Border War matchup against Kansas.
Here are three players who turned heads in Missouri's season-opening win.
What a way for quarterback Austin Simmons to begin his career as a Tiger. Ahead of Thursday's game, Simmons was one of, if not the biggest, players Missouri fans were eager to see take the field. The show he put on had fans grinning from ear to ear.
The Ole Miss transfer completed 17 of 19 passes for 252 yards and four touchdowns. Simmons did not even need a full game to put up those numbers, putting them up in less than one half before Missouri turned to its backups.
One thing that stood out was Simmons' ability to spread the ball around to his group of targets. He connected with Donovan Olugbode for two touchdowns, while Shaun Terry II and Cayden Lee also found the end zone.
Simmons' comfort and early chemistry in Missouri's new offense were major takeaways and encouraging signs for the new quarterback. Even without running back Ahmad Hardy, Simmons had no trouble moving the ball through the air.
During the second half of last season, wide receiver Donovan Olugbode began to break out as a freshman. That strong finish created optimism surrounding his development entering this season, and Olugbode showcased that growth Thursday.
The sophomore wide receiver set career highs in the season opener with eight receptions for 116 yards and two touchdowns. Olugbode found the end zone for the first time this season on a 14-yard reception during Missouri's second possession.
Olugbode then broke free for a career-long 35-yard touchdown reception, extending Missouri's lead to 30-0. His performance in the season opener provided an early indication that the wide receiver could take a significant step forward in 2026.
The Tigers' starting defense was nearly perfect during the first half Thursday, with safety Elijah Dotson among the group's most impressive players. The sophomore recorded three tackles and forced a fumble.
Missouri held Arkansas-Pine Bluff to just six total yards and negative 26 rushing yards in the first half. Dotson's performance was also encouraging given the questions surrounding Missouri's rebuilt secondary entering the season.
Simmons, Olugbode and Dotson all showed out in the season opener. Missouri will face a much bigger challenge next week when the Tigers travel to Lawrence to take on Kansas in the Border War on Sept. 11.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/missouri as 3 Tigers Who Stood Out in Dominant Season-Opening Win Over Arkansas-Pine Bluff .
