Week two of college football is upon the city of Columbia, Mo. and a week two matchup against the Buffalo Bulls is set up for 6 p.m. on a Saturday night for Missouri football.
The Tigers now have a performance baseline after a week one blowout, but the Bulls should prove to be more of a challenge. Plenty of guys played solid in limited snaps. Majority of the skill-position starters didn’t play at all in the second half, making it hard to judge how well they truly played.
Buffalo should be a matchup the Tigers can handle which might limit the amount of time the starters play. With a few minor injuries last week, as well as some players who didn’t quite play as well as they could have, here are four players to take note of on Saturday night.
There are no doubts that Cook will play to his potential as the season progresses, but some missed deep balls and other throws in general may have left a bad taste in some peoples mouths. He went 19-of-30 against Murray State, with 228 passing yards and a touchdown.
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His accuracy wasn’t necessarily an issue, only missing a few debatably-bad throws. These are throws he is capable of making. Those mistakes were likely nothing more than early-season miscues, ones that can be fixed with more reps in practice and more deep shots in game.
Head coach Eli Drinkwitz was not thrilled with the passing core as a whole against the Racers, receivers included. Some general inconsistencies that were displayed were ones that needed to get ironed out in practice.
“Fundamentals. It starts with fundamentals, route depth, timing, the quarterback setting his feet when he makes throws,” Drinkwitz said.
This time last season, Cook was not a set starter. He was splitting game-reps with sophomore quarterback Sam Horn, but won the position battle. Now, he is a consensus starter with room for error. The deep ball is something he needs to improve on by the time the Tigers make it to conference play, but should be an area he shows growth in in the early part of the season. Expect Cook to fall back on the deep ball again against Buffalo where he has room to make mistakes and teammates to fall back on.
Starting tight end Brett Norfleet was ruled out against Buffalo earlier in the week, according to ESPN reporter Pete Thamel. With Norfleet out, the reigns get passed down to backups Tyler Stephens and Jordon Harris.
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READ: Key Offensive Playmaker to Miss Missouri’s Week 2 Game with Injury
Stephens will play against his alma mater for the first time in his career on Saturday night. He was the only other tight end to record a reception last season outside of Norfleet, recording five receptions for 49 yards. He was questionable last week in limited snaps, splitting targets with Harris. It is not clear who will be the starter between the two, but both of them should see the field.
Harris did not record any receptions last week, but was listed as the second string ahead of Stephens. He has not recorded a single reception in his career as a Tiger, but he gives Cook, or whoever is at quarterback, a large and athletic target. He is not as experienced as Stephens, but Cook does like to dump it down to his tight ends. Harris also plays an important pass and run blocking role, giving him another reason to see the field.
Young did not put any numbers on the stat sheet this week, but that is likely to change. He had an impressive quarterback pressure last week that resulted in Murray State quarterback Jayden Johannsen throwing a pick-six to Tiger cornerback Toriano Pride Jr. Young displayed power and bend to get to the quarterback.
It’s only a matter of time before Young records a sack or tackle for loss with the moves he put on display against the Racers. The entire Tiger defensive line really stood out, with defensive tackles Chris McClellan and Kristian Williams also putting pressure on the quarterback and getting in the stat books.
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Young never posted incredible numbers with the Michigan State Spartans, his former team, with a career high of 26 total tackles and a sack-and-a-half in his 2023 campaign. He showed the same flashes last week that he did all of last season with the Spartans. He has more freedom to show off his pass rush moves in the Tiger defense and in the right situation, his moves could stand out above the rest.
Everything to Know About Missouri vs. Buffalo
WATCH: All Things Mizzou Podcast: Tigers Handle Business in Week 1, Buffalo Preview
‘We Don’t See A Drop Off’: Depth, Versatility Bolster Missouri’s Defensive Line
Gov. Mike Kehoe announced two gubernatorial appointments Friday to vacant positions in mid-Missouri counties.
Doug Miller, of California, Mo., was appointed as Moniteau County associate commissioner, district one.
Miller is a Moniteau County native who has worked as a middle school physical education and health teacher in the county for 27 years. Since 2021, he has worked as an office manager for Rackers Manufacturing and a bus driver for the California school district.
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Rodney Southard, of Rolla, was appointed as Maries County eastern district commissioner.
Southard is a fifth-generation Missouri farmer who previously worked as a support specialist for NEW Solutions and a surface water specialist for the U.S. Geological Survey. He is currently the chairman of MU Extension in Maries County.
Edge rusher turned out to be a strong position for the New Orleans Saints last season. Saints edge rushers combined for 28.5 sacks in 2025, with Chase Young and Cameron Jordan accounting for 20.5 sacks and 52 pressures. Jordan is currently a free agent and will be in his 16th season if he does return. This leads most believing that the team will pursue a young edge rusher in the draft. One option could be Missouri Tigers pass rusher Zion Young if this happens. Young is one of a handful of talented edge defenders that could still be on the board midway through the second day. Here is a closer look at the profile of perhaps one of the more underrated defenders in the 2026 NFL Draft class.
Zion Young bio
Position: Edge
College: Missouri Tigers
Height: 6-feet, 6 inches
Weight: 262 pounds
Out of Westlake High School in Georgia, Young initially committed to the Michigan State Spartans in the Big Ten. He’d see limited playing time during eight games in 2022 but still managed a sack and 2.5 tackles for loss among 21 total stops. Young was much more involved for the Spartans in 2023, recording 4.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. He’d enter the transfer portal after that season, landing with the Missouri Tigers in the SEC.
A stout Missouri defense was strengthened with Young’s addition. He contributed 2.5 sacks and 5.5 tackles for loss among his 42 total stops in 2024. Last season, Young solidified his attention from NFL scouts. He led the Tigers with 16.5 tackles for loss, second best in the SEC, in addition to 6.5 sacks. Those numbers earned him 1st Team All-SEC honors.
Strengths
Prototype size and length for both 3-4 and 4-3 fronts
Displays good power and leverage on contact
Strength to muscle through double-teams
Sets the edge extremely well against the run
Keeps blockers off–balance with combination of speed and power
Sets up inside moves with good arm extension
Weaknesses
Inconsistent pass rush production
Lacks refined counter moves
Not a great bend around the outside of tackles
Must do a better job at disengaging for pursuit
Questionable agility for a stand-up edge rusher
Zion Young 2026 draft outlook
Most predictions have Young being selected in the second or third round. He does have the power and upside to be a surprise first round selection for the right scheme. While his agility and athleticism creates some questions, there is little doubt that he has the raw power and tenacity to be a defensive contributor.
New Orleans is expected to add an edge rusher within the first two days of the draft. With an emphasis on an improved run defense, Young could be a welcomed addition to their system as a strong side defender. Young’s upside as a pass rusher would govern how much he plays early, but he would likely be an immediate part of any defensive rotation along the outside.
KSHB 41 reporter Lily O’Shea Becker covers Franklin and Douglas counties in Kansas. Share your story idea with Lily.
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Thousands showed up to Mill Creek Park on Saturday in Kansas City, Missouri, in a wave of protests across the country criticizing U.S. President Donald Trump and his administration.
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Thousands show up to protest current administration at KCMO ‘No Kings’ rally
Multiple protesters told KSHB 41 News they participated in the protest because they feel like it is the only way their voices can be heard.
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Sharon
“Congress is not working for us,” said Sharon, a protester at Mill Creek Park. “I have called my Congress people numerous times.”
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It was the third wave of ‘No Kings’ protests across the country since June 2025.
“I’ve been here for each of the ‘No Kings,’ and I’ll admit that I’m frustrated that I have to be back here again,” protester Carter Taylor said.
Taylor is a teacher for Kansas City Public Schools with AFT Local 691, and she said she showed up to represent her students.
“I hope that everyone here doesn’t just stay here today — that they donate to food banks, that they check in on their public schools,” Taylor said.
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Protesters marched on the Country Club Plaza in a wave of No Kings protests across the country on March 28, 2026.
Protesters held signs critiquing the current administration’s stances on tariffs, ongoing wars and immigration enforcement, among other things.
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Lonnie Beattle
“It means that people care,” protester Lonnie Beattle said. “People care about what’s going on in this country, and people are not happy with what’s going on in the country.”
