2026 Missouri Football Opponent DEEP DIVE: Arkansas-Pine Bluff Golden Lions

Welcome backmost to Rock M Nation’s yearly force preview bid of nan upcoming season. Each week we will break down 1 force from nan schedule successful chronological order. Given that rosters are ever fluid - and this is done by a hobbyist alternatively than a pro - location could beryllium immoderate errors successful history and existent roster makeup. All mistakes are done connected intent and pinch sick intent because Nate Edwards doesn’t for illustration you aliases your team.

This is nan eighth twelvemonth successful which I preview Missouri’s opponents during nan offseason and, successful keeping pinch tradition, I will erstwhile again reappraisal nan FCS-over-FBS victories of nan past year, conscionable arsenic a friends reminder to everyone that FBS teams are not immune to FCS usurpation:

2025’s 4 FCS victories complete FBS teams was a diminution from nan erstwhile twelvemonth that featured a full of six. 2021 had a awesome breakout successful FCS wins pinch 12, followed up pinch 2022’s 8 and past 4 successful ‘23 and six successful ’24. These numbers are acold little than erstwhile iterations but nan elemental truth is this: FCS teams can hit FBS teams.

The bully news, though, is that those games usually characteristic an FCS Playoff-caliber squad barely eking by 1 of nan worst FBS teams connected nan planet.

The amended news, then, is Mizzou’s grounds against FCS teams:

Division I-AA reorganized arsenic nan FCS successful 2006 and, since then, Missouri has ever played an FCS force (other than nan COVID year) and ne'er mislaid to a squad hailing from that division.

Even erstwhile nan FCS force has been 1 of nan dreaded Playoff-caliber versions, Missouri’s victories person been 38-18 complete South Dakota State, 50-0 complete SEMO, and 35-10 complete South Dakota.

The constituent is this: complete 3 different coaches and various value of teams, Mizzou has ne'er really been challenged by an FCS foe astatine home. And, if they are challenged aliases moreover beaten, you tin stake that Mizzou will beryllium canine nutrient atrocious that twelvemonth and nan force will astir apt make it to nan FCS semifinal round.

So let’s talk astir Arkansas-Pine Bluff.

The Golden Lions of UAPB person been members of nan Southwestern Athletic Conference - aliases SWAC - since 1998. As a historically achromatic assemblage and assemblage (HBCU), it made a ton of consciousness for UAPB to subordinate a convention that exclusively features HBCUs from nan American southbound and truthful location hasn’t been a ton of convention transience for nan Lions.

As a program, UAPB has been mostly bad. Since 1998 they’ve had 6 different caput coaches (7 if you count erstwhile Miami (Ohio) caput coach Don Treadwell’s interim stint astatine nan extremity of 2022), 75% of whom past little than 4 years connected nan job. Lee Hardman lasted nan longest and was nan caput man from 1993, done their modulation to nan SWAC, and up done his status successful 2003, ending pinch a respectable .529 winning percent complete 121 games. His replacement was Mo Forte, a HBCU coach who had only 1 winning play earlier UAPB and past only 1 winning play astatine UAPB; he was fired successful 2007 and ne'er held different caput coaching job.

Forte’s replacement, however, was Monte Coleman, whose profession .360 winning percent mightiness raise nan question, “why nan hellhole did UAPB springiness him 10 years astatine nan helm?”. Well, nan logic for that is Coleman’s 2012 squad managed to drawback lightning successful a bottle, spell 10-2 (8-1) during nan season, and conclusion Jackson State for nan SWAC Championship. There really was nary mentation for occurrence for illustration this: Coleman had won, 3, 5, 5, and 6 games earlier that season, and past won 2, 4, 2, 1, and 2 crippled correct afterwards. But they’ll ever person that magical year!

After Coleman UAPB managed to clasp connected to Cedric Thomas for 2 years earlier he bolted for Alcorn State pinch an 8-14 record. Doc Gamble lasted 3 years while offering 8 full wins, and now Alonzo Hampton is overseeing nan (probable?) down move of his tenure astatine UAPB.

It’s reliable to triumph successful Pine Bluff, Arkansas apparently, but astatine slightest location aren’t unreasonable expectations for coaches to hit. SWAC schools are successful a convention of their peers and struggle pinch akin recruiting issues but nan shot merchandise is simply a coagulated 1 if you’re looking for a much “pure” collegiate shot experience. UAPB is surely quiet for much than nan 26 wins complete nan past 8 years person seen, but it doesn’t look for illustration they are successful a position to hurry that upgrade along.

I consciousness bad for Coach Alonzo Hampton. Not that he needs my sympathy.

But…just ideate you get into coaching because you emotion nan crippled and you emotion teaching. Yes, those aspects will thief support your proverbial state vessel afloat erstwhile times are reliable but you would, successful theory, for illustration to person immoderate bully seasons to spell on pinch it. Ya know, to punctual you of nan ace precocious attained erstwhile being portion of a successful, winning team.

And past you spot that Hamp has been a coach for going connected 27 years now and he’s been portion of 8 seasons erstwhile his squad has much wins than losses.

Eight. And only 3 of those seasons characteristic a triumph full larger than 7!

He’s had a unsmooth spell of it. Not to mention that, arsenic a caput coach astatine Dumas High School and UAPB, his mixed win/loss grounds is 12-43.

And I haven’t moreover gotten to nan awkward portion yet! Coach Hamp initially signed a 3-year statement successful 2022, meaning he would either request to person his statement renewed aliases beryllium fto spell astatine nan conclusion of nan 2025 season. Well, nan extremity of nan 2025 play occurred and…I can’t find immoderate news communicative connected UAPB deciding to widen him.

I person done arsenic galore searches successful section news outlets that I can, and nan only communicative I tin find is this station from nan Pine Bluff Commercial highlighting nan truth that UAPB brass request to make a determination connected his employment and Hampton telling reporters - paraphrased - “yeah man I dunno conjecture I’m still here”.

And still here, he is. He overhauled his violative staff, held outpouring practices…you know, caput shot coach stuff. But I haven’t seen immoderate parameter of if he was extended aliases his bosses giving him a get-out-of-jail-free paper for kicks.

Regardless of what that business is, Alonzo Hampton will beryllium nan caput coach for a 4th-year successful Pine Bluff erstwhile he takes his squad to Columbia for what should beryllium nan emblematic FCS hit down via your friends vicinity Missouri Tigers shot team.

2025’s violative coordinator, Tony Hull, is now nan OC astatine Alabama State truthful Alonzo Hampton is getting imaginative pinch his staff. He moved wide receiver coach Pierre Ingram to Quarterbacks Coach, hired Stephen Barnette to coach nan receivers, brought connected Dimitri Hill arsenic his caller Offensive Line Coach, and past gave each 3 of those dudes “co-offensive coordinator” titles to switch Hull successful nan aggregate.

Look, I’m not a shot coach. And I’m judge these 3 guys tin fig this out. But it conscionable seems unnecessarily analyzable to person 3 co-coordinators alternatively of designating 1 feline arsenic “the dude”. I’m judge it’s cheaper that way! Ah. Yup, I conscionable talked myself into figuring retired why they’re doing it this way.

On defense they hired Keith Scott arsenic nan caller DBs coach but everyone other returns. I conjecture that’s good? Given that past year’s defense only held 5 of 12 force nether 20 points - and 2 of those were little section teams - this mightiness person been an area that could usage a refresh.

But. Again. Cheaper this way. Sometimes it’s arsenic elemental arsenic that.

You don’t request immoderate precocious analytics to spot that nan 2025 Pine Bluff discourtesy stunk astatine everything.

Let’s make a comparison that tin thief you consciousness it:

You cognize really Mizzou’s passing crippled was atrocious successful conference? That passing discourtesy had a 63% completion rate, averaged 5.9 yards per driblet back, and threw for 15 touchdowns connected nan year.

UAPB’s passing offense: 55.7% completion rate, averaged 6.0 yards per driblet back, and threw for 16 touchdowns connected nan year.

Against FCS opponents.

But that was really their beardown suit! On nan crushed was a overmuch worse experience, arsenic they hardly averaged 4.6 yards per transportation and little than 160 yards per game.

They couldn’t run, could benignant of throw, had a 38% 3rd-down conversion rate, and seldom vanished pinch touchdowns, scoring only 35 touchdowns connected nan year. Missouri: 46 touchdowns successful 2025.

The bully news for nan Lions, though, is that their starting quarterback, each moving backs pinch complete 20 carries, and each receivers pinch complete 20 catches, and astir of their violative statement return. In a world wherever turnover connected rosters is highly high, it’s a bully luxury to bring everyone backmost for different spell around. Even if “everyone” was mostly crappy past year.

The Lions’ defense didn’t person immoderate amended of a twelvemonth than their violative counterparts. They gave up constituent totals of 67, 41, 51, 20, 31, 32, 56, and 44 successful their losses and teams averaged 430 mixed yards per game. And that’s counting games against “independent travelling team” Lincoln (California) and a schoolhouse called Westgate Christian from nan NSAC conference.

(I cognize this isn’t nan constituent but spell cheque retired nan NSAC’s website. College shot is heavy and wide and by visiting their page you’ll spot an full competitory ecosystem that’s battling retired for convention supremacy each Saturday against schools for illustration Denmark Tech, Central International, Barber Scotia, and South Carolina Central Christian. Wild!)

UAPB’s defense allowed opponents 5.6 yards per rush, a 63% completion complaint while throwing nan ball, and allowed a very moreover 25 touchdowns connected nan crushed and 26 done nan air. They were unlucky astatine recovering fumbles (5 recoveries of 11 forced fumbles) arsenic good arsenic forcing interceptions (11 complete 320 attempts) and gave up scores connected 41 of nan 48 drives that coiled up successful nan reddish zone.

Like nan discourtesy a bully chunk of this group returns, and keeping that galore akin players on with, essentially, nan aforesaid unit could thief successful improvement. But if you’re giving up 5.6 yards per unreserved to FCS opponents, what are you going to do against Curtis Luper’s guys?

It’s an FCS team. You should win, and triumph easily, and get your freshmen and backups successful arsenic soon arsenic possible. Missouri will beryllium breaking successful a ton of caller pieces connected discourtesy and defense but should still outclass nan Lions up and down nan roster. If you don’t spot immoderate of nan non-starting freshmen successful nan 2nd half, thing has gone terribly wrong. The Tigers request to return this clip to get immoderate experience, robust retired immoderate issues they still have, and create immoderate early momentum earlier they play their astir hated rival and past their SEC information of nan schedule.