Ahmad Hardy is set to return to Missouri for the 2026 college football season. He signed an extension with the university and Eli Drinkwitz expects to

Should Ahmad Hardy have got more second-half carries in Missouri football’s Gator Bowl loss to Virginia. Eli Drinkwitz explains why he didn’t.

Every indication is that Hardy will suit up and play in the Gator Bowl for Missouri. He has history within his sights: With just 68 more yards, Hardy will be the Tigers' single-season rushing yardage record holder. This season, Hardy has already run for 1,560 yards and 16 touchdowns.

Ahmad Hardy is officially a consensus first-team All-American. The Missouri football sophomore running back was named as an AFCA FBS Coaches First-Team All-American on Tuesday, which means he has now cleared the benchmark of making half of the NCAA-recognized selectors’ first-team lists to become a consensus All-American.

With four of five first-team selections, Hardy is considered a consensus All-American. Only three Tigers have received unanimous votes, which means they earned five out of five first-team honors. Tigers to receive unanimous recognition are Michael Sam (2013), Roger Wehrli (1968) and Danny LaRose (1960).

The offseason has arrived for Missouri football, so strap in. Between re-signing current players and the transfer portal, a frantic few weeks await.

Playing in the Gator Bowl has allowed Ahmad Hardy to etch his name into the Missouri record books forever. Hardy entered with one of the best seasons the program has ever seen, surpassing 1,500 yards.

The Cavaliers were a top-20 team in yards allowed per carry and rarely allowed explosive runs. With Missouri’s passing game also limited, Virginia is likely to load the box and force backup quarterback Matt Zollers to beat them with table scraps downfield.