Report: Mizzou's Leading Rusher to Miss Alabama Game

The Missouri Tigers leading running back will miss the key game with a foot injury.

Sep 21, 2024; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers running back Nate Noel (8) runs the ball during the second half against the Vanderbilt Commodores at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images / Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

The No. 21 Missouri Tigers will apparently be atlest somewhat shorthanded against the No. 15 Alabama Crimson Tide Saturday.

Missouri running back Nate Noel will miss the game with a foot injury, per a report from ESPN's Pete Thamel.

However, a team spokesperson told reporters Noel will be listed as doubtful on Wednesday's availability report but no official decision has been made on his status yet.

Noel suffered the foot injury on the first drive of Missouri's game against Auburn in Week 8, according to head coach Eli Drinkwitz. Noel stayed in the game until the end of the first quarter, taking a carry at the 3:16 mark of the first quarter. But he failed to return until early in the third quarter, where he only took one carry.

"It's not broke, but we don't know how bad it is and he wasn't able to go." Drinkwitz said of Noel's injury Saturday.

Without Noel for a majority of the game, Missouri relied on Georgia State transfer Marcus Carroll and redshirt freshman Jamal Roberts.

Carroll was a work horse for Georgia State last season, taking 274 carries for 1,350 yards and 13 touchdowns. He's taken a backseat behind Noel for most of the season, taking 66 carries through Missouri's first seven games.

Roberts has proven to be a reliable option as a third-down back for Missouri, He's taken 13 carries for 45 yards so far this season. Against Auburn, he scored the go-ahead touchdown on a three-yard carry in the fourth quarter.

The status of one of Missouri's other key offensive leaders — quarterback Brady Cook — is still unknown. Drinkwitz said Tuesday the quarterback would physically be "at" practice but would not clarify whether he would be participating or not.

The first designation for Cook and the rest of Missouri's roster will come Wednesday evening when the SEC availability report is posted.