No. 8 Florida arrives in Columbia with a 4-0 record, a fresh statement win over Ole Miss, and a running game that’s been the engine behind the start. That’s the picture Andrew Spivey of Gator Country painted ahead of Saturday’s matchup with Missouri, and it starts with the simplest truth about Year One under Jon Sumrall: Florida fans wanted progress, and they wanted points.
“Florida fans really wanted to see improvement on the field and an offense that could score. Most fans were happy to say 8 wins would be a success so things are definitely going better on the field.”
The centerpiece of that offense has been Jadan Baugh, who has ripped off 83 carries for 600 yards and 11 touchdowns through four games. Spivey said if that pace holds, it gets harder and harder to leave Baugh out of the Heisman conversation.
“If Baugh can continue this ridiculous start then I’m not sure how you can keep him away from New York, especially if the Gators can continue winning. A 10-2 Florida team would really help Baugh’s case.”
Florida’s ground game doesn’t stop there. Spivey pointed to backup running back Duke Clark, who has put together back-to-back huge games, and receiver Dallas Wilson, who has “had a good year and is dangerous in space.”
On the other side of the ball, Spivey singled out Jayden Woods as the defender Missouri has to account for, especially off the edge. Woods delivered the key sack in the Ole Miss game, another reminder that Florida can make game-changing plays when it needs them.
When asked about Florida’s biggest strength and the area Missouri might be able to attack, Spivey didn’t hesitate. It starts up front.
“Biggest strength is the Gators run game and the offensive line’s ability to push defensive linemen backwards.”
Missouri, ranked No. 25 and sitting at 3-1 overall and 0-1 in SEC play, is trying to bounce back from its conference-opening loss to Mississippi State. Eli Drinkwitz gets that chance at home on Homecoming, with kickoff set for 2:30 p.m. CST against a Florida team that has already shown it can walk into a big game and deliver a loud answer.
In Other News...
Missouri Gets An Early Read On Key Defensive Help Vs Florida
Missouri got its first injury snapshot ahead of Homecoming against Florida, and the initial SEC availability report immediately put some focus on the defensive front. The Tigers listed eight players in varying statuses, with EDGE Darris Smith and DE Langden Kitchen both tagged questionable as they work back from ailments that affected their availability last week.
Smith sat out the previous game with an ankle injury, while Kitchen left early with a lower-body injury, leaving Missouri to monitor two important pieces as the Florida matchup approaches. The Gators own report was lighter, with two questionable wideouts in Vernell Brown III and Bailey Stockton, but for Missouri the bigger question is how much of its defensive line rotation it can count on when the conference deadline forces the first public update before kickoff. [Read more 🡒]
Florida's Breakout Season Faces A Huge Test At Missouri
Floridas visit to Columbia arrives with both teams trying to sort out what kind of October run they can make, and college football analyst Greg McElroy sees the matchup tilting toward the visitors. He pointed to Floridas running game as the most reliable edge in the game, with Jadan Baugh powering a ground attack that has helped shape the Gators breakout start.
Missouri, meanwhile, is being pressed by issues that have shown up in the margins, especially in finishing drives and keeping opponents from turning limited chances into points. The Tigers also face a Florida team whose defensive tendencies could create a tougher day for Missouris passing game, which makes the October 3 meeting feel like more than just another conference game for a team trying to keep its league standing from slipping. [Read more 🡒]
Mizzou Suddenly Has A Defensive Concern Heading Into Florida
Missouris trip to No. 8 Florida picked up an extra layer of uncertainty Wednesday night when the injury report listed several key defenders as questionable, including edge rushers Langden Kitchen and Darris Smith and linebacker Bobby Washington Jr. For a Tigers defense that will need to bring pressure and stay sturdy in the middle against a ranked opponent on the road, those names jumping onto the report immediately changed the look of the matchup.
Eli Drinkwitz had already acknowledged Kitchen and Smiths status during his Tuesday media session, so the situation was not a complete surprise, but it still leaves Missouri waiting on important pieces at a critical spot on the field. Florida has injury questions of its own, with leading receiver Vernel Brown III and third receiver Bailey Stockton also listed as questionable, but Missouris bigger concern is whether it can get enough speed and depth back on defense before kickoff. [Read more 🡒]