Conway, Ark.- The wait is over—Central Arkansas football is back. The Bears open their 2025 season under the bright lights of Columbia, Missouri this Thursday night when they take on the Tigers of Mizzou. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. and the game will be televised nationally on the SEC Network. This marks the first-ever meeting between the Bears and Tigers.
Central Arkansas comes into the season picked 5th in the nine-team UAC preseason poll and will lean on the experience of five preseason All-Conference selections. On offense, wide receiver Malachi Henry and offensive linemen Will Diggins and Jamal Mull were recognized. Defensively, Bradley Clark (defensive line) and Dillon Williams (defensive back) earned honors, giving the Bears proven playmakers on both sides of the ball.
Missouri, meanwhile, is picked to finish 12th in the 16-team SEC preseason poll but still boasts plenty of talent. Three Tigers earned preseason All-Conference honors: offensive lineman Cayden Green (1st Team), wide receiver Kevin Coleman Jr. (2nd Team), and defensive back Jalen Catalon (3rd Team). Under Coach Eli Drinkwitz, Missouri has strung together 21 wins in the last two seasons, making them a formidable SEC foe.
Bears head coach Nathan Brown knows the challenge his team is walking into.
"Well, if you take the first game against Missouri, that's a mountain in itself, right? The cards are stacked against you. They've got more scholarships. They recruit the top talent across the country… They've won 21 games in two years. They have a great program; I've got a ton of respect for what Coach Drinkwitz has done," Brown said. "But we are ready to go compete, tired of hitting each other in practice, ready to go play against someone else and see what we have and what adjustments we need to make moving forward."
The season opener will serve as a measuring stick for Central Arkansas against one of the nation's premier conferences. Fans can also circle next Saturday, September 6th, when the Bears return home to Estes Stadium to take on their first opponent of the season on the Stripes. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:00 p.m.
