CBS Sports had plenty to like after Missouri’s 45-17 rout of Florida, and the network rewarded both sides of the ball for it on Monday morning.
The Tigers’ win in Columbia did more than hand the Gators their first loss of the season. It also pushed Mizzou to 4-1 overall and helped the program avoid an 0-2 start in SEC play. Behind head coach Eli Drinkwitz, Missouri got major contributions from its coordinators, and CBS Sports singled out both of them as SEC Coordinators of the Week for Week 5 of the 2026 season.
Offensively, Chip Lindsey’s first season as Missouri’s coordinator produced one of the Tigers’ most complete showings yet. Mizzou piled up 560 yards of total offense against Florida, with 220 coming on the ground and quarterback Austin Simmons adding 340 through the air. The Tigers also moved the chains 24 times, held the ball for 31 minutes, 40 seconds, and went 7 for 13 on third down to keep Florida’s defense stuck on the field.
On the other side, Corey Batoon’s defense backed up the scoreboard pressure by smothering a Florida offense that had been rolling through September. The Gators finished with 325 total yards, but the run game never got loose, producing just 42 yards. Florida star Jadan Baugh was held to 13 yards on 12 carries, and the only thing that kept the Gators from being shut out in the second half was a garbage-time touchdown with 47 seconds left.
Lindsey and Batoon were the headline names from a Missouri performance that clicked in every phase, and CBS Sports put both coordinators in the spotlight for it.
In Other News...
Floridas Bounce-Back Shot Just Got More Complicated Before South Carolina
Floridas bounce-back chance this week already carried a little extra weight after last weekends setback, and now it comes with a weather watch attached. A tropical storm named Isaias is expected to form in the Gulf and could make its way toward the Florida Panhandle on Saturday, which is the same day the Gators are scheduled to face South Carolina.
Florida and SEC officials have not announced any contingency plans, and for now the whole setup remains dependent on how the storm develops and where it tracks. If the system strengthens or shifts in the wrong direction, the game could become more complicated than a typical early-season SEC matchup, with the possibility of delays or even a postponement hanging over the week. [Read more 🡒]
Florida Homecoming Just Added A Twist Longtime Gators Fans Will Love
Homecoming weekend already carries enough built-in pageantry at Florida, but this one comes with a throwback nod that should land with longtime fans. The university announced that basketball standouts Andrew Moten and Vernon Maxwell will serve as Honorary Mr. Two Bits for Saturdays homecoming game against South Carolina, a choice that connects the football atmosphere to one of the schools most beloved hoops eras.
Moten and Maxwell, better known as the M&M Boys, are also being recognized as part of the 2026 UF Athletic Hall of Fame class, which only adds to the sentimental pull of the moment. The game is set for 12:45 p.m. ET on the SEC Network, and for Gators fans who remember what the pair meant in orange and blue, this is the kind of crossover salute that tends to resonate well beyond kickoff. [Read more 🡒]
Missouri Exposed A Florida Offensive Problem Fans Can't Ignore
Floridas offense left plenty to sort through after Missouri disrupted the rhythm and forced the Gators into a game plan they are not built to live in. Jon Sumrall made clear the scheme is not designed around a heavy drop-back passing attack, and when the line started losing at the point of attack, the whole operation got harder to sustain. The result was a night full of long-yardage spots, too many snaps off schedule, and not enough balance to keep the defense honest.
The bigger issue is what happens when one part of the offense is asked to carry too much of the load. Florida needs a complementary approach, one that lets Aaron Philo and the passing game work with support from the run and the protection up front. Missouri showed how thin the margin gets when the offensive line cant hold up and the ground game cant establish a foothold, leaving the Gators with an identity problem they cannot afford to ignore. [Read more 🡒]