Mizzou football will be turning a new leaf in 2026, looking to improve upon a 2025 campaign in which it battled plenty of adversity en route to an 8-4 regular season and Gator Bowl loss against Virginia. After loading up in the transfer portal, retaining top talent and adding a promising freshman class, there's plenty to be excited about for the 2026 season. That's exactly what Missouri On SI reporters Killian Wright and Zachary Knox-Doyle discuss on the most recent episode of the "All Things Mizzou" podcast, picking five different aspects about the upcoming 2026 season that excites them the most. The pair also recapped recent news regarding Mizzou basketball, Sophie Cunningham and Mizzou alumni in the NBA. You can watch the full episode using the YouTube, or through Apple, Spotify, and other podcast platforms.The five most exciting Mizzou football storylinesWright and Knox-Doyle selected one item from each of the following categories: home game, away game, offensive player, defensive player and storyline. Some selections were obvious — see Knox-Doyle selected Donovan Olugbode as the offensive player that excites him the most, or Wright picking Nicholas Rodriguez on the defense. Other elements might surprise you, such as Wright's selection for the home game that excites him the most, or Knox-Doyle's pick for the storyline to watch. Wright's selectionsHome game: ???Away game: Ole MissOffensive player: ???Defensive player: Nicholas RodriguezStoryline: ???Knox-Doyle's selectionsHome game: Texas Away game: ???Offensive player: Donovan OlugbodeDefensive player: ???Storyline: ???Mizzou basketball alumni roundupIn the past week, there's been plenty of news regarding former Mizzou basketball players attempting to carve out roles in the NBA. Jordan Clarkson, who spent the 2014-15 season at Missouri and won the 2025-26 NBA Championship with the New York Knicks, re-signed with the Knicks on a one-year, $3.9 million deal. Kobe Brown, who last played for Missouri in the 2022-23 season, signed a two-way contract with the Indiana Pacers after breaking out at the end of last season. As for more recent alumni, Shawn Phillips Jr. opted not to suit up in NBA Summer League and instead was granted an injunction for another season of college eligibility. Tamar Bates performed well in summer league and likely won't play another game — the Jazz like what they saw from the former Tiger — while Mark Mitchell, Sean East II, Jevon Porter and Caleb Grill are still competing. Sign up for our free newsletter and follow us on Twitter/X, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram for the latest news. Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow