Florida and Missouri are headed for another SEC showdown at Faurot Field in Week 5, and BetMGM has already nudged the numbers ahead of Tuesday’s update.
Florida arrives at 4-0 after taking down Ole Miss at home last weekend, a win that pushed the Gators to No. 8 in both the US LBM Coaches Poll and the AP Top 25. That marks the program’s first trip into the top 10 since 2021. Missouri sits at 3-1 after a road loss to Mississippi State in Week 4 and is ranked No. 25 in both major polls.
The series history is tight. Missouri leads 7-6 overall going back to 1966, but since the Tigers and Gators joined the SEC, the matchup has been dead even at 6-6. Missouri also won the last two meetings in Columbia, in 2021 and 2023, though Florida has taken three of the last five games in the series.
Florida has not had much success at Faurot Field, winning just twice in six trips there. Even so, the Gators have already dealt with a difficult road setting at Auburn, which gives them at least one recent example of winning away from home against an SEC opponent.
This Florida team has the look of a group with real juice on offense, and the defense showed last week that it can come through when the game gets tight, even with some questions still hanging over the secondary. After what both teams showed a week ago, the edge leans Florida.
Jadan Baugh is projected to top 100 yards again, while the defense continues to settle in and special teams chips in as well. The pick here is Florida to handle business in Columbia.
In Other News...
Buster Faulkner Faces A Career Choice Florida Fans Should Watch
Buster Faulkner has quickly become one of the more intriguing names in the college football coaching market, and that makes him a figure Florida fans have a reason to monitor closely. As the Gators offensive coordinator, he has built enough buzz to be seen as a likely head coach candidate in the near future, which puts him squarely in the kind of carousel talk that always seems to reach Gainesville and Tallahassee at the same time.
Florida State is the name being floated as a possible landing spot, with the Seminoles expected to have an opening after the likely firing of Mike Norvell. It would be a difficult job for anyone stepping in, and the appeal would come with plenty of baggage, from program instability to questions about leadership and direction. For Florida, the stakes are obvious: when a rising coordinator starts drawing head-coaching attention this fast, keeping him in place is never simple. [Read more 🡒]
Former Florida Standout Steps Away And Gators Fans Will Wonder Why
Chris Raineys latest move is one Gators fans will notice because it comes from a familiar face who has stayed close to the game in Florida. The former Florida standout and NFL player announced he is stepping away from his roles as head track and field coach and junior varsity football assistant coach at Trinity Catholic High School, ending a stint that kept him involved in shaping young athletes on the prep side.
Rainey said he was having difficulty coaching the way he believes he should, which is the kind of line that suggests a deeper frustration than a routine career change. He also made a point of thanking the athletes, parents and coaches who supported him, leaving Florida followers to wonder what led him to this decision and what comes next for one of the programs more recognizable former players. [Read more 🡒]
Brian Kelly Just Put Florida's Fast Start On Upset Watch
Floridas fast start is drawing plenty of attention this week, and not all of it is comfortable for the Gators. The latest reminder came from CBS Sports, where former LSU and Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly picked No. 25 Missouri to knock off No. 8 Florida when the teams meet Saturday afternoon at Faurot Field. It is the kind of road-game skepticism that follows a team with real momentum, especially when the opponent is ranked and playing at home.
Kellys call stood out because the other CBS Sports analysts on the panel leaned the other way. Brian Jones, Aaron Taylor and Rick Neuheisel all backed Florida, pointing to the Gators rushing attack and Missouris defensive concerns as reasons the unbeaten buzz should keep building. Still, the split forecast only adds a little more edge to a matchup that already has upset potential written all over it, with Florida set to find out whether its early-season form travels at 3:30 p.m. ET. [Read more 🡒]