The final week of the regular college football season is here, and with it comes Rivalry Week, a time when long-standing rivalries take center stage. One such rivalry is the Battle Line Rivalry between the Missouri Tigers and the Arkansas Razorbacks.
For Missouri, a season that started with promise has been dampened by injury woes. Sitting at 7-4, the Tigers are no longer in the College Football Playoff conversation, but they still have plenty to play for in this heated rivalry and the upcoming bowl game. On the other hand, Arkansas is looking to end a challenging season on a high note. The Razorbacks have had a tough year, parting ways with head coach Sam Pittman and failing to win a game since early September. Now, their focus is primarily on the coaching search, but a win in this rivalry game would be a welcome send-off.
As we approach the SEC conference game, teams release their availability reports, giving us an insight into the health of their rosters. Here's the latest update from both Arkansas and Missouri, released on Thanksgiving Day.
Arkansas Razorbacks Injury Report:
- RBBraylen Russell: OUT
- DBQuentavius Scandrett: OUT
- WRMonte Harrison: OUT
- WRAndy Jean: OUT
- WRJalen Brown: OUT
- RBAJ Green: OUT
- DLDavid Oke: OUT
- TEAndreas Paaske: OUT
- DB Jordan Young: QUESTIONABLE
The good news for Arkansas is that star quarterback Taylen Green, who had been dealing with health concerns, is not on the report. Interim head coach Bobby Petrino had previously been cautious about Green's status, but it seems he's ready to go.
Arkansas will need Green to step up, as they have several injuries on the offensive side. Two wide receivers have been ruled out, and the status of Andy Jean, initially questionable, will be closely watched. The running back position is also a concern, with Braylen Russell's availability in question.
Missouri Tigers Injury Report:
- DBSantana Banner: PROBABLE
- KBlake Craig: OUT
- WRDaMarion Fowlkes: OUT
- QBSam Horn: OUT
- DTElias Williams: OUT
Missouri has been fortunate with injuries lately, especially with the return of quarterback Beau Pribula last week. There were concerns that the Tigers might finish the season with their third-string quarterback, but Pribula's return has provided a boost. However, the Tigers still have time to address any remaining injury concerns before kickoff.
Missouri is coming off a tough loss to Oklahoma, their third loss in the last four games. This stretch has coincided with the injury and subsequent return of Beau Pribula. Despite these challenges, Missouri is in a better position than Arkansas, who have lost eight straight games, including all their SEC matches this season.
The rivalry game between Arkansas and Missouri is set to take place on Saturday, November 29th, with kickoff scheduled for 3:30 p.m. EST. It promises to be an exciting and closely contested battle, and the injury reports will undoubtedly play a role in the outcome. Who will emerge victorious in this heated rivalry? Only time will tell, but one thing's for sure: these teams will leave it all on the field.
