FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — On a wet, bone-chilling Black Friday in Fayetteville, the Missouri Tigers slogged their way to a fourth consecutive win over Arkansas in the Battle Line Rivalry, emerging with a 31–17 victory that sealed the Razorbacks’ fate and capped another winless SEC season in Fayetteville.
The conditions were ugly, the football somehow uglier, but the Tigers did what they’ve often done in this matchup: controlled the line of scrimmage and imposed their will on the ground. Missouri’s passing game remained a rumor — by now a running joke among the fanbase — but the rushing attack delivered when it mattered. The highlight came courtesy of Ahmad Hardy, whose electrifying 53-yard touchdown burst in the third quarter gave the Tigers a lead they would never relinquish.
The game provided no shortage of head-shaking moments. Arkansas opened the afternoon by racking up ten first-half penalties, repeatedly derailing its own drives. Missouri responded in kind with untimely turnovers and special teams blunders that kept the Razorbacks hanging around longer than they probably deserved. But as the second half unfolded, the Tigers leaned on their ground game, their defensive front tightened, and Arkansas simply didn’t have the firepower — or the discipline — to keep pace.
For Eli Drinkwitz and the Tigers, the win arrives on the heels of Drinkwitz’s recently inked contract extension, injecting some positive momentum into a season that never fully matched preseason hopes. Missouri closes the regular season at 8–4 (4–4 SEC) — not the breakthrough year many envisioned, but certainly not a disappointment considering the passing game issues and the wave of injuries that hit key contributors. All things considered, Tiger fans have seen far worse.
The announced attendance was listed at just over 61,000, though the soggy, half-empty stands suggested a far smaller crowd — maybe 45,000 on a generous count. The weather didn’t help, nor did either team’s midseason struggles.
With the Battle Line Trophy secured again, Missouri now turns its attention to a fifth straight bowl appearance and the ever-chaotic transfer portal season that awaits. Meanwhile, Arkansas heads into yet another rebuild, closing a frustrating campaign with a coaching change and more questions than answers.
For the Tigers, it wasn’t pretty — but in rivalry games, it rarely has to be. A win is a win, and once again, the trophy stays in Columbia.
Eli Drinkwitz addresses the season and recent extension
“Very excited about our future here at the University of Missouri.” Drinkwitz said after the win. “I think it’s a good season, it’s not great. We had a chance to go to great but didn’t get it done.”
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