Missouri faces Virginia on Saturday night in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl. It might be without one of its top playmakers on offense.
According to a report from ESPN’s Pete Thamel, Mizzou wide receiver Kevin Coleman Jr. is a game-time decision for the game. He has been dealing with an illness in recent days, according to the report. He is expected to dress for the game, and his availability will be determined prior to kickoff.
Coleman, a 5-foot-11 senior from St. Louis, leads the Tigers in receiving this season. He has 63 receptions for 715 yards and a touchdown. No other Mizzou player has more than 31 catches or 352 yards. Brett Norfleet is second in receptions, but he will miss the game with an injury. Donovan Olugbode is second in yardage.
Wide receivers Joshua Manning and Marquis Johnson will not play in the bowl game, either. If Coleman is unable to go, Mizzou will be without 4 of its top 5 receivers from the regular season. Expect Olugbode to have a heavy workload.
The Tigers are seeking a third consecutive bowl victory. They beat Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl in 2023 and then knocked off Iowa in the Music City Bowl last season.
With starting quarterback Beau Pribula opting for the transfer portal, freshman Matt Zollers will make his third start of the year.
Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC. Mizzou is a 4-point favorite in the game, per BetMGM.
Derek Peterson does a bit of everything, not unlike Taysom Hill. He has covered Oklahoma, Nebraska, the Pac-12, and now delivers CFB-wide content.
