Florida’s offense has spent the first four games looking like it can light up the scoreboard from just about anywhere. The Gators’ average starting field position on touchdown drives sits at their own 35-yard line, a sign that this group isn’t relying on a parade of freebies to get in the end zone.
Missouri, though, is a different story.
The Tigers have scored 17 offensive touchdowns this year, but the way they’ve gotten there tells a much sharper story than the raw total. Eleven of those touchdowns started inside the 50-yard line, and their average touchdown drive has covered just 44 yards, which is the shortest mark in the country by a long shot.
Tom Fornelli of CBS Sports pointed out the wrinkle with a graphic comparing total offensive touchdowns to the average starting field position on those scoring drives. Florida’s production fits neatly with the rest of the country, and the Gators rank third nationally in offensive touchdowns. Missouri’s numbers, on the other hand, reveal an offense that has had to work with a short field far more often than it has had to grind out long possessions.
That becomes even clearer when you break down Missouri’s drives against FBS opponents. Leaving out the opener against Arkansas-Pine Bluff and excluding end-of-game kneel-downs, the Tigers have had 36 offensive drives in three games against Kansas, Troy, and Mississippi State.
Nine of those drives started after a change of possession that was not a punt or kickoff, such as a fumble, interception, or turnover on downs. Missouri scored touchdowns on six of those nine possessions.
The picture changes fast once punts and kickoffs enter the mix. In 27 offensive drives against FBS competition that began after a punt or kickoff, Missouri found the end zone on only four of them.
That works out to a 14.8% success rate.
Florida has also done plenty of damage after opponents punt or kick it away, with 16 offensive touchdowns following a punt or kickoff against FBS competition in games against FAU, Auburn, and Ole Miss.
There are defensive concerns on Florida’s side, and that part of the matchup isn’t being ignored. Still, Missouri has not shown it can build scoring drives the way Florida has in 2026, and that gap matters.
Brad White has also had some success against Missouri before.
So unless Florida’s offense completely falls apart or the Gators’ defense turns in a performance that raises serious questions about White, there’s a pretty straightforward case here: Florida should be in good shape against Missouri, as long as it takes care of the ball.
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 🡒]