Mizzou Passing Attack Comes Down to Earth Against Troy

After being the bright spot against Kansas and UAPB, the passing attack was a glaring weakness against Troy.

Sep 19, 2026; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers quarterback Austin Simmons (13) kneels in the end zone prior to a game against the Troy Trojans at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

COLUMBIA — After looking like the strength of Missouri through the first two weeks, the Tiger passing attack put up its worst performance of the season against Troy. Quarterback Austin Simmons threw for a season-low 91 yards and one touchdown against a Trojan defense that gave up 335 passing yards to Sam Houston quarterback Landyn Locke. 

“We weren't great throwing and catching the football,” Drinkwitz said. “There was receivers falling down, receivers running routes too deep, quarterback throwing the ball too early, offensive holding, getting behind the sticks, inefficient runs on first down, inability to utilize play-action to create separation (in the) second level of the defense. So a lot of things to fix.”

Missouri had just one drive go for more than 50 yards and two go for more than 30 on the night, scoring the majority of its points off the benefit of short fields courtesy of turnovers forced by the Tiger defense. 

Much of that could be credited to third-down struggles, as Missouri converted just two of its 11 third-down attempts. The Tigers were 13-for-26 entering the contest. The cut-short, choppy drives played a big factor in what Drinkwitz considered to be the primary reason for the struggling passing attack. 

“Inability to get (Simmons) in a rhythm,” Drinkwitz said. “Inability for him and the wideouts to be on the same page. Never got him comfortable. I don't think we (gave up) any sacks, but we got to get him comfortable. Didn't have a great plan. Bottom line, we didn't have a great plan.” 

The deep ball, which was very much alive against Kansas and UAPB, was nowhere to be found against the Trojans. Simmons completed just two passes for 15 yards or more — a 17-yarder to DaMarion Fowlkes and a 23-yarder to Cayden Lee. Simmons’ average depth-of-target was just 9.4 yards Saturday, lower than his 12.7 mark against Kansas and 11.6 mark against UAPB. 

Simmons was missing much easier passes than he’d hit in his two previous starts. He overshot Donovan Olugbode on a potential first-half touchdown and misfired to him on a big third-down in the second. Simmons also failed to see open targets like Naeshaun Montgomery on a potential touchdown and Brett Norfleet with plenty of green ahead of him. Olugbode finished with three receptions for 31 yards and a touchdown, with Lee right behind him with four receptions for 30 yards. Fowlkes and running back Jamal Roberts

Those misfires and missed reads felt uncharacteristic for Simmons, who’d been making throws of a much more impressive nature and much higher degree of difficulty against the Jayhawks and Golden Lions. A reason for to believe in the first two weeks of play, Simmons still hit a few difficult throws against Troy — most notably his rollout touchdown to Olugbode.

Simmons and the passing attack have a chance to rebound next week, as SEC play for the Tigers begins at 6:45 p.m. Saturday in Starkville, Mississippi, to take on the high-powered Bulldogs offense.

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