Missouri QB Beau Pribula enters transfer portal again, freshman Matt Zollers to start in Gator Bowl

By Canadian Press on December 19, 2025.

Missouri quarterback Beau Pribula is entering the transfer portal for the second consecutive year, and Tigers coach Eli Drinkwitz said that freshman backup Matt Zollers would start in the Gator Bowl against No. 20 Virginia on Dec. 27.

Pribula had transferred last season from Penn State, where he was blocked by returning starter Drew Allar. He led the No. 25 Tigers to a 6-1 start to the season, but then dislocated his ankle in a 17-10 loss to Vanderbilt the final weekend of October.

Pribula return for a 17-6 loss to Oklahoma before playing in a 31-17 win over Arkansas in the Tigers’ regular-season finale. He wound up throwing for 1,941 yards with 11 touchdown passes and nine interceptions, and he ran for 297 yards with six more scores.

Zollers started the two games Pribula missed, a loss to Texas A&M and a victory over Mississippi State.

Meanwhile, Duke quarterback Darian Mensah announced Friday that he would return to the Blue Devils next season. He had briefly explored entered the NFL draft after leading his team to a victory over Virginia in the ACC title game.

The sophomore, who transferred from Tulane this past offseason, threw for 3,645 yards with 30 touchdown passes and just five interceptions for the Blue Devils. His yardage ranked third in the Football Bowl Subdivision and he was fifth in TD passes.

“This year was everything to me. This team, this locker room, this family welcomed me with open arms,” Mensah said in a statement on social media. “When the odds were against us, we kept fighting. I wouldn’t trade any of it for the world.”

Duke plays Arizona State in the Sun Bowl on Dec. 31.

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Dave Skretta, The Associated Press