ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ

“Beau, you’re up.�

This was the line. The movie scene. The moment that saved Penn State’s 2024 run to the College Football Playoff — and might’ve changed Mizzou’s 2025 trajectory.

“Beau, you’re up.�

That’s how Beau Pribula remembers it. The Nittany Lions were No. 3 in the nation. And they were 6-0 entering the game on Saturday, Oct. 26. Road matchup. Longtime rival. Wisconsin.

And Penn State trailed at halftime, 10-7.

“Drew (Allar) was having a problem with whatever his injury was,� Pribula said. “And I remember my head coach was like, ‘Drew, can you go?’ And he’s like, ‘Yeah, I think I can.’ Coach is like, ‘No. Beau’s going in.’ He’s like, ‘Beau, you’re up.’�

Sam Horn has a throwing arm so strong, it got him drafted and signed by the Los Angeles Dodgers. There are many good qualities Horn, a forever backup in black and gold, brings to the Tigers’ 2025 quarterback battle during camp. But Pribula has an edge. This isn’t simply because he’s faster and profiles more similarly to Brady Cook. It’s because Pribula has done it. He’s won a high-stakes college football game as a quarterback. Horn hasn’t.

“My redshirt freshman year,� Pribula said, “a similar situation happened when Drew got hurt in the first half and I had to finish that game. But it was at home, we were up (10-6 against Rutgers). So I think it was different going on the road, at Wisconsin, and being down at halftime.�

That day in Wisconsin, in front of 76,403 cheese-fed fans in red, Pribula led Penn State to a triumphant comeback. He competed 11 of 13 passes for 98 yards in the 28-13 victory.

“I just think it was big for me to not only just prove it to other people but prove it to myself,� Pribula said at Mizzou’s football media day. “That was really big, just for confidence and everything like that. And just always staying ready for my opportunity. I think that helped a lot.�

As the third quarter unfurled, Penn State led late, 14-13. And then? Pribula ignited a 13-play, 81-yard touchdown drive that gobbled up seven minutes and 35 seconds.

Wisconsin proceeded to punt.

And Pribula was at it again on the very next drive — another touchdown, this one cementing the final score, 28-13, with three minutes to go.

Rewatching the film on Penn State site For the Blogy, there were, admittedly, a couple of Beau throws that were risky. But he had a good day at work. But his ability to throw on the run and make plays with his legs showed he is gutsy, creative and unflappable.

On one key play, Pribula froze two linebackers with just a threat of running their direction. On another, he actually messed up the fake handoff on a play-action pass by holding the ball to the other side. No worries. He stayed poised and completed a 20-yard dart for a first down.

Allar returned the following weekend, but Penn State and coach James Franklin continued to use Pribula in mid-game drives for the rest of the regular season. In 2024, Beau finished with five throwing touchdowns and one interception. And he ran for 242 yards on 38 carries, good for a 6.4 average (oh, and he scored four rushing touchdowns).

“Whenever I had the opportunity to go in, (it was) just providing a spark,� Pribula said, “and just being able to be a playmaker and help the offense move the ball. ... All the game experience I had, in big-time games, on the road, games like the Big 10 championship, I think it just helps. You experience tough environments or like games, then it’s not anything new. So when we go on the road this year, or even when we’re at home, it’s not something that’ll just be brand new.�

It was surprising that Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz didn’t name Pribula the starter in the spring — Pribula reportedly got a $1.5 million NIL deal (per On3). But doing so would’ve given Horn a reason to leave the program — and there’s otherwise not much backup depth at the most important position. Also, Horn’s talent is legitimate — Drinkwitz said his quarterback group is the most talented he’s ever had, “and I hope it doesn’t offend Ryan Finley and Brett Rypien,� Drinkwitz said of signal-callers from North Carolina State and Boise State (I suppose Drink wasn’t counting his time as a low-level quality control coach with Cam Newton and Auburn).

One would have to think that Pribula’s win at Wisconsin will fuel him well in the coming days and weeks in the Columbia summer sun.

At media day, I asked Drinkwitz about what characteristics — besides just completing passes — he will look for in his choice for quarterback during camp.

“You know, we have five requirements to play the position,� Drinkwitz said. “Toughness, preparation, decision-making, accuracy and leadership, and we’ll evaluate all five of those each day. But then at the end of the day, it’s consistent decision-making. ... We’ll encourage them all to run their own race. And I told them straight up: ‘One bad day is not going to decide the competition. But two might.’ ... If you’ve had a bad set, you’ve got to shake it off and bounce back. I mean, that’s what quarterback is. That’s how you play the game. ...

“I’m really, really excited about the competition. But what’s keeping me up at night is I’m going to have to tell somebody they’re not the starting quarterback. That’s going to be the hardest thing I do all season because these guys have all worked really, really hard to earn the opportunity — and only one of them is going to get it.�