Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz quickly announced a starting quarterback for the Gator Bowl following reports that Beau Pribula will be entering the transfer portal.
Pribula’s exit is a bit of a surprise as he started 10 games for the Tigers this season. However, Mizzou will be moving forward with true freshman quarterback Matt Zollers — at least for the Gator Bowl.
Drinkwitz confirmed that Zollers will get the start against Virginia on Dec. 27:
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Zollers started a pair of games for Mizzou this season when Pribula was out due to injury. On the season, he was 35-of-66 for 402 yards, 4 touchdowns and 1 interception.
It’s unclear at this time whether or not Mizzou will pursue a more experienced option in the portal for the 2026 season. It’s possible Zollers’ performance in the Gator Bowl against the Cavaliers will have an impact on Mizzou’s transfer portal strategy this offseason.
Zollers was a 4-star recruit in the class of 2025. He signed with Mizzou as the No. 93 overall player and the No. 9 quarterback in that cycle, per 247Sports Composite rankings.
Mizzou and Virginia will face off in the Gator Bowl on Dec. 27.
Spenser is a news editor for Saturday Down South and covers college football across all Saturday Football brands.
