​Welcome back, college football in Columbia.Missouri football returns to the field this week to begin its 2026 season with a game against Football Championship Subdivision team Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Faurot Field, which will look a little different this year after a completed $250-million makeover.To get you ready for the week, we’ve prepared a gameweek guide for the opener.This guide has a little bit of everything, hopefully serving anything and everything you may be looking for ahead of Mizzou’s next game. Each week, the Tribune will provide injury updates, live betting odds, key matchups and more so that you have a one-stop shop for everything black-and-gold leading up to kickoff.First up on Mizzou’s calendar: Arkansas-Pine Bluff and the beginning of the 2026 campaign.Missouri football vs Arkansas-Pine Bluff: Quick hits, what to knowDate: Thursday, Sept. 3Kickoff: 7 p.m. CTTV: SEC NetworkStreaming: FUBOLocation: Columbia, MissouriSpread: Missouri -53.5Over/under: 61.5What time does Missouri play in Week 1?Kickoff for Mizzou’s game against Arkansas-Pine Bluff is scheduled for 7 p.m. CT on Thursday, Sept. 3, in Columbia.What TV channel is Missouri football game?Mizzou’s game against Arkansas-Pine Bluff will air on SEC Network. FUBO will stream the game live.Stream Mizzou games with FUBOMissouri vs UAPB betting oddsMissouri has opened as a 53.5-point favorite over Arkansas-Pine Bluff, which beat D-II level Morehouse College 35-15 on Saturday as part of the Week 0 slate. The game has an over/under of 61.5 points.Missouri football availability and injury reportStar running back Ahmad Hardy will miss the season-opener as he continues to rehab from an offseason gunshot wound that struck his femur. Drinkwitz said that he needs to see two full weeks of practice from Hardy before he considers playing the All-American in a game.Starting Mizzou left tackle Cayden Green also will miss Thursday’s game with an undisclosed injury, Drinkwitz said. Missouri football vs UAPB predictionMizzou has won its last two season openers by 55 and 51 points. We fully expect this scoreline to look fairly similar.Prediction: Missouri 56, UAPB 7Missouri football Week 1 biggest storylinesMore: How can Missouri football maximize potential in 2026? Answer these questionsMore: ‘Clown show’: Mizzou’s Eli Drinkwitz bashes latest round of lawsuits, chaos in collegeNew-look Memorial Stadium: Mizzou’s $250-million renovation of the north end zone at Memorial Stadium, which added premium seating options and connected the east and west stands, is complete. The Tigers will play in their new-look ground for the first time against UAPB.Austin Simmons makes debut: Missouri has a new starting quarterback, with Ole Miss transfer southpaw Austin Simmons set to play his first game for the Tigers. Mizzou, which also has a new offensive coordinator in Chip Lindsey, has made it an offseason priority with improving its passing offense, and Simmons is the man tabbed for the job.