Columbia, Missouri will host a top-15 showdown this Saturday when Alabama visits town to face the hosting Mizzou Tigers.
And while Mizzou figures to come into this game in relative good health, Alabama will likely be without a pair of players who have contributed thus far.
As was revealed on the SEC’s Wednesday night availability report, 5 Crimson Tide players are listed as doubtful or out, with 2 of them being notable for this week.
Second-year linebacker Cayden Jones is listed as out, while wide receiver Jaylen Mbakwe is under the doubtful category.
A former 5-star recruit out of Clay, Alabama, Mbakwe started his career in 2024 as a defensive back before he made the move to wide receiver for Alabama’s bowl game against Michigan. This season, he registered a catch for 16 yards against Louisiana-Monroe but left the Vanderbilt game after just two snaps.
Meanwhile, Jones is a sophomore linebacker out of Asheville, N.C. who acts as a standout special-teams contributor as well as a backup for the defensive unit. He recorded a pair of tackles and a fumble recovery in the win over the Warhawks.
With two of its depth pieces out for this game, Alabama will need others to step up when it kicks off at noon ET against Mizzou on Saturday.
Parker is currently the sports editor with the Enterprise-Journal in McComb, Mississippi. He's a graduate from Mizzou who has experience covering the Tiger football and basketball beats for SB Nation, and he's worked for a variety of sports news outlets in the past.
