Missouri fans got their first real look at transfer quarterback Beau Pribula on Thursday night, and the debut was nothing short of electric. The Penn State transfer accounted for four total touchdowns in a commanding 61-6 win over Central Arkansas to open the 2025 season in Columbia.
Pribula wasted no time making his mark, firing a 49-yard touchdown strike to Marquis Johnson on just his fifth play as a Tiger, then showcasing his athleticism with a 31-yard rushing score. By halftime, he had led Mizzou on a 14-play, 99-yard touchdown drive starting from inside its own 1-yard line — one of two such drives he engineered in his first outing.
The stat line told the story: Pribula finished 23-of-28 passing for 283 yards and two touchdowns, while adding 65 yards and two more scores on the ground. Missouri scored on all six drives he led before freshman quarterback Matt Zollers took over late in the third quarter.
Wide receiver Marquis Johnson emerged as Pribula’s top target, hauling in deep completions on his way to 134 yards and a touchdown. On the ground, Ahmad Hardy carried 10 times for 100 yards and a score. The Tigers spread the wealth through the air as well, with tight ends Brett Norfleet and Jude James each finding the end zone. Freshman running back Marquise Davis added a touchdown, while linebacker Dante McClellan delivered a defensive highlight with an 83-yard interception return.
Special teams also shined, as Blake Craig drilled 49- and 55-yard field goals before leaving the game, with freshman Robert Meyer stepping in to finish kicking duties.
The only setback came when quarterback Sam Horn, Pribula’s primary competitor, exited with an apparent injury after a first-quarter run.
With a nearly flawless debut now behind him, Pribula has Mizzou fans buzzing as the Tigers prepare for their next test — a highly anticipated Border War clash with Kansas on Sept. 6 in Columbia.
