Florida heads back on the road Saturday with a top-25 matchup that says plenty about where the Gators stand right now. After knocking off then-No.
6 Ole Miss 52-28 at The Swamp on September 26, No. 8 Florida travels to No.
25 Missouri looking to keep its fast start rolling.
The Gators are 4-0 overall and 2-0 in the SEC, and their rise in the US LBM poll was steep after the Ole Miss win, climbing 14 spots. They’ve now scored 40 points or more in four straight games under first-year coach Jon Sumrall, a stretch that has pushed Florida to No. 2 nationally in scoring offense at 53.5 points per game and No. 5 in total offense at 532.8 yards per game.
Missouri enters at 3-1 and 0-1 in SEC play after a 31-24 loss at Mississippi State. Under sixth-year coach Eli Drinkwitz, the Tigers are 61-31 overall. Florida has had the better of the series historically, holding a 6-1 edge all time, though Missouri took the most recent meeting, 33-31 at Faurot Field on November 18, 2023.
Florida coach Jon Sumrall also gave a few injury updates heading into the game. Venrell Brown III has a low-grade knee sprain, Bailey Stockton will be limited throughout the week, and cornerback Dijon Johnson is working through a minor ankle injury. Eric Singleton Jr. is full go in practce this week.
The game is set for Saturday, Oct. 3, at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium, with kickoff at 3:30 ET. It will air on ABC, with streaming available on Fubo and ESPN+. Florida is a 5-point favorite, and the over/under is 56.5.
Florida’s schedule has already featured a sharp offensive burst through the first month of the season: a 66-21 win over Florida Atlantic on Sept. 5, a 52-3 win over Campbell on Sept. 12, a 44-39 win over Auburn on Sept. 19, and the 52-28 win over Ole Miss on Sept. 26.
After Missouri, the Gators return home to face South Carolina on Oct. 10, then head to Texas on Oct. 17, before later matchups with Georgia in Atlanta on Oct. 31, Oklahoma on Nov.
7, Kentucky on Nov. 14, Vanderbilt on Nov. 21, and Florida State on Nov.
In Other News...
Florida May Have Made A Huge Impression On Elite WR Target
Easton Royals trip to Gainesville came at a good time for Florida, and the No. 1 thing the Gators could show him was the kind of offense that can sell itself. The five-star wide receiver was on campus for Floridas game against Ole Miss, a 52-28 win that gave him a front-row look at an attack that is putting up points and, just as importantly for a receiver, helping its quarterback develop.
Royal has already been committed to Texas, but he is still weighing his options with the Early Signing Period approaching, and Florida clearly left an impression. His interest in the Gators appears tied to the kind of production and quarterback growth he saw in person, with LSU also staying in the mix as the chase for one of the nations top pass catchers continues. [Read more 🡒]
Trinidad Chambliss Had Fans Talking After This Classy Postgame Moment
After Floridas 52-28 win over Ole Miss, one of the nights most talked-about moments came long after the final whistle. Trinidad Chambliss, who put together a strong outing of his own with 298 passing yards and three total touchdowns, stayed on the field and waited respectfully while Florida coach Jon Sumrall finished a live postgame interview before stepping in to offer a handshake and congratulations.
It was a small gesture, but the kind that tends to travel fast because it says something about a players presence beyond the box score. Ole Miss is 3-1 and heading into a bye week before turning its attention to Vanderbilt, and Chambliss has already drawn praise from coach Pete Golding for his leadership and character, which only made the postgame scene resonate even more with fans watching closely. [Read more 🡒]
Florida Fans Have Every Right To Be Furious Over This AP Vote
Floridas climb in the AP Top 25 hit a strange snag when one voter, Matt McGavic, still placed the Gators at No. 15 even though the team sits No. 8 overall. McGavic said he was being cautious about moving Florida up too quickly from an opening spot of No. 25, pointing to concerns about the defense while also giving Ole Miss and LSU the edge based on head-to-head results and preseason expectations.
For Florida fans, the frustration is easy to understand because the logic sounds less like a fresh read on the season and more like a pollster trying to justify an early snapshot. The larger issue is bigger than one ballot: AP voters are often accused of clinging too tightly to old assumptions, and Floridas case is a reminder of how much a team can do on the field before the rankings fully catch up. [Read more 🡒]