What’s The Trend: Week 5

Welcome to the series, ‘What’s The Trend,‘ which highlights the biggest risers and fallers in the Mizzou Football world each week! After another dominant victory in Week 5 against UMass, headed into a bye week, here are this week’s trends.

On the Rise

Recruiting, Recruiting, Recruiting

It feels like Mizzou is on a recruiting heater across numerous different sports and it isn’t appearing to slow down. Basketball has secured three pieces for the future, MU Softball added six recruits to its 2027 recruiting class, Gym added a five star and four star just a few days ago AND even the football team has added two new recruits to its 2026 class. All facets of Mizzou Athletics are getting stronger, and the programs are really starting to see a lot of success. It’s a great time to be a Mizzou fan.

The Tigers are 5-0 for the second time in 10 years

I know they haven’t played the hardest competition yet (not the easiest either) but Missouri is having one of its best starts since joining the SEC. Coming into the season unranked, the Tigers have been taking every team they face by storm and have drawn national attention. The real season starts with Bama, but Mizzou should definitely pat itself on the shoulders for the strong start to the season its had.

New opportunity

With a game like UMass, the Tigers didn’t need to start their starters all game. This gave a bunch of opportunity to younger and not as experienced guys to make splashes.

On the defensive side, redshirt freshman Cameron Keys and true freshman Jason Dowell shined in the snaps they got. With zero non-conference games left on the schedule, this might’ve been the most playing time they’ll see all season. Nonetheless, they made it count.

On the offensive side, true freshmen Matt Zollers saw limited time, but redshirt junior Tavorus Jones and true freshman Marquise Davis stole the show in the second half in the run game. The two of them combined for 101 yards and a touchdown.

On the Decline

Bye Week

Take a break Tigers’ fans. No Mizzou Football, not even on the TV. After five straight home games, Missouri gets a bye week before it hosts Alabama in an important game for the Tigers. Some much needed rest ahead of their final home game of the six-game stretch to start the season.

Beau Pribula’s pocket consistency

In the Week 5 win over UMass, Mizzou QB Beau Pribula once again looked indecisive and jittery in the pocket, which contributed to him being sacked four times. Some of the blame falls on protection breakdowns up front, but several of those sacks were also the result of him holding onto the ball too long. Against UMass, it didn’t cost Missouri, but against faster, more physical SEC defenses, those same issues could lead to turnovers and a much steeper uphill battle.

Cautious Celebration

Mizzou is 5-0 and that doesn’t happen very often. Fans are excited. But they also know that the hardest games are still in front of the Tigers. As much as Mizzou fans should be excited about PFF predicting the Tigers to have a >50% chance of making the playoffs, teams have fallen off FAST before. Stay excited and stay hyped for Mizzou, but don’t set your expectations to high incase things fall off the rails.

From Nathan Hurst’s column:

As good as that start has been, the real test starts next week. Pass that test and the sky (and a trip to Miami) will be the limit.

Will they get there? Let’s just sit back and watch.