The Missouri backfield is getting major reinforcements for the home stretch, as star running back Ahmad Hardy will make his season debut on Saturday against Arkansas, sources confirmed to CBS Sports' Matt Zenitz.
Back in May, Hardy suffered a gunshot wound while attending a concert in Mississippi. The rehab and recovery sidelined Hardy for Missouri's first seven games of the season, but he's been cleared to get back on the field this weekend.
Earlier this week, coach Eli Drinkwitz announced on social media that Hardy returned to practice but didn't commit to his game status. On Wednesday night, Hardy wasn't listed on the Tigers' SEC availability report, which was an indication that he would be good to go against the Razorbacks.
That's a huge boost for the Missouri offense coming out of the open date because Hardy was one of the best running backs in the country last season. In 2025, Hardy ranked second in the country and first among Power Four running backs with 1,649 rushing yards and 16 rushing touchdowns.
While Hardy has worked his way back, Jamal Roberts took over as the No. 1 option in the Missouri backfield, and he's thrived in that role. Roberts is eighth nationally with 867 rushing yards, and he's tied for 11th with eight rushing touchdowns.
