Missouri
2024 Missouri Football Opponent Preview, Game 12: Arkansas
The Missouri Tigers 2024 season will come to an end on Thanksgiving weekend when they host the Arkansas Razorbacks.
This will be a crucial year for the future of the Arkansas program. Head coach Sam Pittman’s job will likely be at stake if a 4-8 season in 2023 is followed up by another disappointment. Here’s an early look at the 2024 Razorbacks.
The Arkansas offense was the second-worst in total yards per game (326.5) last year in the SEC and fifth-worst in points per game (26.6). There’s few reasons to believe the Razorbacks will take any major steps offensively in 2024.
In a hope to right the ship offensively, Arkansas hired a familiar face in Bobby Petrino. The hiring of the long-time coach will certainly make the team more interesting and entertaining but he’ll have a big challenge to help the Arkansas offense take a step forward.
Arkansas will also have a new starting quarterback in Boise State transfer Taylen Green after KJ Jefferson transferred to UCF. Green has started the past two seasons for Boise State and threw for 1,752 yards, 11 touchdowns and nine interceptions in eight games in 2023.
Arkansas returned most starters at running back and wide receiver but no rusher besides Jefferson tallied over 300 yards last year and only Andrew Armstrong eclipsed 400 receiving yards. Armstrong, entering his sophomore season, could grow into more of a weapon this season at 6’4″ and 201 lbs.
The Arkansas offensive line had its struggles in 2023, allowing the most sacks in the conference in 2023. This season, the Razorbacks are expected to have two transfers starting along the line.
Arkansas did add some exciting players to their skill position groups through the portal, however. Four-star running back Ja’Quinden Jackson comes over from Utah while three-star receiver Jordan Anthony joins the team after two seasons at Texas A&M.
The Razorbacks’ 2023 defense was close to the middle of the pack in yards per game (eighth, 357.12) but its 27.9 points per game was the second-worst. In SEC play, Arkansas allowed 32.3 points per game.
But defensive coordinator Travis Williams did help the Razorbacks make some big strides in his first season. In 2022, Arkansas ranked No. 124 in the nation with 465.2 yards per game. In the first year under Williams, the defense jumped to No. 80. There’s reason to believe Williams will continue to steer his unit in the right direction.
In contrast to its offensive line, the defensive line was one of Arkansas’ best units in 2023. The Razorbacks had 41 tackles for loss and 29 total sacks in 2023. The group is led by Landon Jackson, a First Team All-SEC member in 2023 after compiling 6.5 sacks and 44 total tackles. The group possibly became stronger this offseason with the addition of Anton Juncaj, rated as the No. 12 defensive lineman available in the portal.
The Razorbacks did lose productive linebacker Chris Paul Jr. to Ole Miss through the portal but did add linebacker Xavier Sorey Jr. from Georgia in hopes to replace Paul’s presence over the middle of the field.
The Tigers will have to stay present on this late-November game instead of being distracted by the approaching selection day, set for the following Sunday. Rivalry week is always full of surprises and upsets. With Missouri expected to be in playoff contention, Arkansas could have a chance to play spoiler.
Missouri will be coming off of a two-week road trip with stops at South Carolina and Mississippi State. Arkansas, however, will be coming off three-straight home games ahead of the road trip. In the preceding week, the Razorbacks will be hosting Louisiana Tech.
Date: Saturday, Nov. 30
Time: Afternoon window (2:30-3:30 kickoff)
Location: Faurot Field in Columbia, Missouri
Series History: Missouri leads 11-4
Last Meeting: Nov. 24, 2023: The Tigers saved a feast for the day after Thanksgiving, closing out a historic regular season with its highest scoring performance of the season in a 48-14 thrashing in Arkansas. The Tigers scored 41 unanswered points in the first thre e quarters before pulling their starters in the final quarter. Running back Cody Schrader decimated the Razorback defense, gaining a combined total of 220 yards and rushing for one touchdown.
Head Coach: Sam Pittman, entering his fifth season with Arkansas.
Offensive Coordinator: Bobby Petrino, hired by Arkansas in November of 2023, entering his 42nd year in coaching.
Defensive Coordinator: Travis Williams, entering his second season with Arkansas. Former All-SEC Second Team linebacker with Auburn.
2023 Record: 4-8 (1-7)
Biggest Question: Will Pittman’s trust in Petrino be validated by a productive offense? Pittman’s job could depend on it.
National Championships: 1 (1964)
Conference Championships: 13 (all in the SWC)
Bowl Record: 17-24-3
Last Bowl Appearance: 2022 Liberty Bowl vs. Kansas – 55-53 Win in 3OT
Early Opponent Preview Series:Murray State|Buffalo |Boston College|Vanderbilt|Texas A&M|UMass| Auburn|Alabama|Oklahoma|South Carolina| Mississippi State
Meet The Freshman: Defensive Lineman Elias Williams
First Look of Mizzou in EA College Football 25 Video Game Revealed
Job Point YouthBuild participants demonstrated their construction skills and shared their personal stories at the Missouri Capitol in Jefferson City on April 21.
The event, hosted by the Missouri YouthBuild Coalition, brought together trainees, staff and partners from across the state, according to a community announcement. The day included hands-on construction demonstrations, youth-led advocacy and opportunities for participants to engage with policymakers.
A hands-on project
Trainees spent the morning constructing the framework of walls and portable chairs in teams, demonstrating the skills they are developing through YouthBuild programs in Columbia, St. Joseph and Cape Girardeau. At the end of the day, they assembled the walls to create a room, symbolizing the collaboration among trainees from different regions.
“It was a very good day. We had to build the chairs over there. I did a little measurement, cutting, all of that,” one Job Point YouthBuild student said in the announcement.
The experience highlighted not only technical skills, but also the importance of teamwork and communication, according to the announcement.
“Working together as a team, putting things together was exquisite. Communication was key,” another student shared in the announcement.
Sharing personal journeys
The event also provided a platform for participants to share their personal journeys. Many YouthBuild participants have faced significant barriers, including interruptions in education and limited access to employment opportunities. Through programs like Job Point’s YouthBuild, they are reconnecting with education, gaining workforce certifications and building pathways to meaningful careers, according to the announcement.
For students, the experience of participating in a statewide event and demonstrating their abilities in such a visible setting was both affirming and inspiring.
“I loved it! I had a great time. We built chairs. It was a good experience,” another participant said in the announcement.
Jerrell Morton, director of Job Point’s YouthBuild, emphasized the importance of visibility. Morton said in the announcement, “At its core, this day is about visibility — showing lawmakers, community leaders and the public what these young people are capable of. Our students aren’t just learning skills — they’re building confidence, leadership and a vision for their future.”
Addressing workforce needs
The event also highlighted the broader need for investment in workforce development initiatives like YouthBuild at the state level. Across Missouri, employers continue to report unfilled jobs and growing skills gaps. YouthBuild programs are helping to address that challenge by equipping young adults with practical training, work experience and the tools needed to succeed in high-demand industries such as construction, healthcare, IT and manufacturing.
For Job Point, participation in the event reinforced its commitment to empowering opportunity youth to overcome barriers, reclaim their education and achieve self-sufficiency and economic stability, according to the announcement.
“It’s a great experience. I love Job Point,” another student reflected in the announcement.
As the day concluded, trainees left with a new sense of confidence after meeting with their state representatives, senators and their staffers and standing up on the Missouri House and Senate floors, according to the announcement.
Job Point YouthBuild participants demonstrated their construction skills and shared their personal stories at the Missouri Capitol in Jefferson City on April 21.
The event, hosted by the Missouri YouthBuild Coalition, brought together trainees, staff and partners from across the state, according to a community announcement. The day included hands-on construction demonstrations, youth-led advocacy and opportunities for participants to engage with policymakers.
A hands-on project
Trainees spent the morning constructing the framework of walls and portable chairs in teams, demonstrating the skills they are developing through YouthBuild programs in Columbia, St. Joseph and Cape Girardeau. At the end of the day, they assembled the walls to create a room, symbolizing the collaboration among trainees from different regions.
“It was a very good day. We had to build the chairs over there. I did a little measurement, cutting, all of that,” one Job Point YouthBuild student said in the announcement.
The experience highlighted not only technical skills, but also the importance of teamwork and communication, according to the announcement.
“Working together as a team, putting things together was exquisite. Communication was key,” another student shared in the announcement.
Sharing personal journeys
The event also provided a platform for participants to share their personal journeys. Many YouthBuild participants have faced significant barriers, including interruptions in education and limited access to employment opportunities. Through programs like Job Point’s YouthBuild, they are reconnecting with education, gaining workforce certifications and building pathways to meaningful careers, according to the announcement.
For students, the experience of participating in a statewide event and demonstrating their abilities in such a visible setting was both affirming and inspiring.
“I loved it! I had a great time. We built chairs. It was a good experience,” another participant said in the announcement.
Jerrell Morton, director of Job Point’s YouthBuild, emphasized the importance of visibility. Morton said in the announcement, “At its core, this day is about visibility — showing lawmakers, community leaders and the public what these young people are capable of. Our students aren’t just learning skills — they’re building confidence, leadership and a vision for their future.”
Addressing workforce needs
The event also highlighted the broader need for investment in workforce development initiatives like YouthBuild at the state level. Across Missouri, employers continue to report unfilled jobs and growing skills gaps. YouthBuild programs are helping to address that challenge by equipping young adults with practical training, work experience and the tools needed to succeed in high-demand industries such as construction, healthcare, IT and manufacturing.
For Job Point, participation in the event reinforced its commitment to empowering opportunity youth to overcome barriers, reclaim their education and achieve self-sufficiency and economic stability, according to the announcement.
“It’s a great experience. I love Job Point,” another student reflected in the announcement.
As the day concluded, trainees left with a new sense of confidence after meeting with their state representatives, senators and their staffers and standing up on the Missouri House and Senate floors, according to the announcement.
This story was created with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more at https://cm.usatoday.com/ethical-conduct/.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Missouri Supreme Court issued opinions Tuesday in two cases concerning the state’s latest redistricting map.
Both opinions found the map meets constitutional requirements. As it is already in effect, it will stay in effect.
“Today’s Missouri Supreme Court rulings are a huge victory for voters,” Gov. Mike Kehoe said in a statement. “Missourians are more alike than we are different, and our Missouri values — rooted in common sense, hard work, and personal responsibility — are stronger and far more aligned across both sides of the aisle than the extreme left-wing agendas pushed in states like New York, California, and Illinois. The Missouri First Map ensures those values are represented fairly and accurately at every level of government. This August, Missouri voters will head to the ballot box to vote for candidates in these newly drawn districts.”
The opinion in Elizabeth Healey, et al. v. State of Missouri, et al. stated residents failed to meet the burden required by Missouri law to demonstrate the map was unconstitutional.
This case raised an issue with Article III, Section 45 of the Missouri Constitution, which states that districts “shall be comprised of contiguous territory as compact and as nearly equal in population as may be.” But the court found the concerned residents were unable to prove the “legislature improperly deviated from the directives of article III, section 45.”
The second lawsuit, Jake Maggard, et al. v. State of Missouri, et al., took issue with which map was currently in effect. Residents gathered signatures they believed should stop the new map from going into effect until put before Missouri voters.
However, the court ruled unanimously that nothing in the constitution allows a referendum petition alone to automatically suspend legislation. It has yet to be determined if the referendum petition filing was “legal, sufficient and timely,” per the opinion.
Additional redistricting cases remain ongoing.
NAACP, et al. v. Kehoe will go before the Missouri Supreme Court on May 27. This case argues the governor didn’t have the power to call the “extraordinary session” in which the new redistricting map was adopted.
Additionally, People Not Politicians v. Hoskins will go before a judge in July. Though in a lower court, this case concerns the validity of the signatures people gathered to force a statewide vote on the map.
—
American Idol‘s latest installment has come to end. After a notable season that brought contestants to Hawaii and featured a tribute to Taylor Swift, Season 24 wrapped with a three-hour long episode that saw hopefuls Jordan McCullough, Hannah Harper, and Keyla Richardson compete for the final spot.
In the end, Missouri native Harper took the crown. In the first round of the finale, Alicia Keys stepped in as a guest mentor for contestants, and Harper performed a bluegrass rendition of the Grammy winner’s chart-topping hit, “No One.” In the second turn, Harper sang a song she wrote herself, titled “Married Into This Town,” and reprised “String Cheese,” another song she penned and memorably sang for her audition, for the last round.
During a previous interview with Music Mayhem, Harper said that she grew up playing “bluegrass gospel music in churches every single weekend from age nine until I was 16.” She was drawn to singers like Dolly Parton and Shania Twain, who impacted her approach to music.
“I was raised super conservative, and so I knew of Dolly Parton, and we didn’t listen to a bunch of her music, but she was definitely somebody that I was drawn to. So extravagant. It’s so fun. And she’s such a good showman,” Harper said. “But I was a big Shania Twain fan, like early ‘90s Shania. That was the one tape that we had on, on the regular that my mom let me listen to.”
This year’s season saw judges Lionel Richie, Carrie Underwood, and Luke Bryan relocate the famous “Hollywood Week” for contestants who make it past auditions — trading Los Angeles for Nashville. There was also a special Ohana round in Hawaii that brought 30 finalists before an “industry” panel that included Kelly Sutton, the first female full-time host of the Grand Ole Opry, and Cheryl Porter, a vocal coach and Broadway star, and Rolling Stone‘s own Co-Editor-in-Chief, Shirley Halperin.
Halperin wrote about the experience, while detailing how the show has evolved since its debut over two decades ago. “Each hopeful brought their A game and looked fabulous doing it. How were we to choose? As it turned out, the ones who took the biggest risk — by performing an original song — had an edge,” Halperin noted. “As for our panel, we discussed the contestants’ ages and how they handled the stress of competing. We took note of their backstories, and were inspired by them. We recognized unique voices and range. But in the end, we favored musicianship over potential.”
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