Arkansas-Pine Bluff’s non-conference schedule ended the way most trips to a ranked Power Four opponent do, with a 54-14 loss at No. 25 Missouri on Thursday night at Memorial Stadium/Faurot Field in Columbia. The Tigers scored on their first six possessions of the game, building a 40-0 halftime lead, before the Golden Lions found the end zone in each of the final two quarters to avoid a shutout.
Missouri Built an Early Cushion Through the Air
Quarterback Austin Simmons was nearly untouchable in the first half, completing 17 of 19 attempts for 252 yards and four touchdowns on the night. Two of those scores went to Donovan Olugbode, who finished with a game-high 116 receiving yards, and Simmons also connected with Shaun Terry II and Cayden Lee for touchdowns as Missouri built a 40-0 lead by halftime that included a safety and a Blake Craig field goal. The Tigers added rushing touchdowns from Jamal Roberts, Matt Zollers, and Preston Hatfield in the second half to close out the scoring at 54-14.
UAPB Answered Twice After Halftime
Trailing 40-0, Arkansas-Pine Bluff got on the board with 2:31 left in the third quarter when Za’Marion Webber broke a 27-yard touchdown run, part of a night in which he led the Golden Lions with 56 yards and a score on seven carries, an 8.0-yard average. Jalen Williams added 30 yards on the ground. UAPB’s second touchdown came in the fourth quarter on a 16-yard touchdown pass from Jack Schierholz to freshman David Brewer IV, who caught two passes for 29 yards. Head coach Alonzo Hampton pointed to the second-half response afterward. “You want to be known as a program of fighters,” Hampton said. “Guys don’t quit. Anytime you’re outnumbered, you want to see who’s going to fight, who’s going to get in the battle and who’s going to stay in the battle.”
UAPB’s defense had its moments against a Missouri offense that finished with 562 total yards. Nate Walker led the Golden Lions with 10 tackles, Michael Henderson added seven tackles to go with a forced fumble and a fumble recovery, and Machai Campbell contributed a half tackle for loss and a half sack. The Golden Lions won the turnover battle outright, recovering Henderson’s forced fumble while not giving the ball away themselves, though they were held to 3-of-13 on third down against a Missouri defense that converted 6 of 10.
| Quarter | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arkansas-Pine Bluff | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 14 |
| Missouri | 14 | 26 | 0 | 14 | 54 |
Score by quarter, Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Missouri, Sept. 3, 2026, at Memorial Stadium/Faurot Field. Attendance: 63,609.
Missouri improved to 1-0. Arkansas-Pine Bluff moved to 1-1 and now turns to SWAC play, opening conference action against Alcorn State in the 37th annual Southern Heritage Classic on Saturday, Sept. 12, at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium in Memphis, Tennessee.
