Missouri gets back to Columbia on Saturday for a Homecoming matchup that brings Florida to town for the Tigers’ second SEC game of the season.
The Tigers are trying to shake off their first defeat after last week’s trip to Starkville ended in a 31-24 loss to Mississippi State. Missouri had a 24-17 lead going into the fourth quarter, but the Bulldogs turned it around late and handed the Tigers their first setback, dropping Missouri to 3-1 overall and 0-1 in SEC play.
Florida arrives with a spotless record and plenty of momentum after a 52-28 win over Ole Miss in Gainesville. The Gators put up 498 total yards in that game, including 302 on the ground, and quarterback Aaron Philo went 16 of 23 for 196 yards and a touchdown. That victory moved Florida to 4-0 overall and 2-0 in SEC play.
Missouri’s loss in Starkville featured big individual performances on both sides. Austin Simmons completed 23 of 39 passes for 295 yards and three touchdowns, while Cayden Lee hauled in 156 receiving yards and two scores. Defensively, Daeden Hopkins made his presence felt with 3.5 sacks, the second-most in a single game in Missouri history.
Florida also brings a productive run game into the matchup. Jamal Roberts has 395 rushing yards and three touchdowns, while Vernell Brown III has 271 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
Missouri will be aiming to respond in its first home SEC game of the season and try to make the most of Homecoming weekend in Columbia.
In Other News...
Missouri's Mark Mitchell Is Back In Fifth Season Limbo
Mark Mitchells path to a possible fifth college season took another turn this week when a Kentucky Court of Appeals dissolved a temporary injunction that had been allowing him and other athletes to keep playing under a contested eligibility claim. The Missouri forward is among a group of players caught up in the wider fight over the NCAAs new age-based eligibility model, a system that has already triggered multiple lawsuits from athletes looking to extend their college careers.
The ruling sends Mitchell, along with players such as Louisvilles Seth Trimble and LSUs Skyy Clark, back into a legal maze while the case continues elsewhere. For now, the NCAAs position remains unchanged: players who have already used four seasons are not eligible for a fifth, leaving Missouri waiting to see whether Mitchells situation finds another courtroom path forward. [Read more 🡒]
Florida Faces One Big Test Missouri Will Try To Expose
The build-up to Floridas Week 5 trip to No. 25 Missouri is shaping up around a familiar SEC question: can a defense with real bite force a ranked opponent out of its comfort zone? College football analyst David Pollack pointed to Missouris defensive strengths as the element that could make this more than just another top-10 road test for the Gators, especially if Florida quarterback Aaron Philo is asked to do damage outside the running game.
Missouri, meanwhile, will bring its own issues into the matchup on offense, with quarterback Austin Simmons leading the way and the Tigers still waiting for star running back Ahmad Hardy to return. That mix leaves Missouri with a clear identity on one side of the ball and an important piece still on the way back on the other, which is why this game feels less like a routine showdown and more like a test of which team can make the other play its least comfortable style. [Read more 🡒]
Saban Just Gave Mizzou Fans A Reason To Worry About Florida
Nick Saban is not the kind of voice Missouri fans want sounding upbeat about the next opponent, and his latest comments on The Pat McAfee Show only added to the sense that Florida has started to look dangerous at the right time. Saban praised the Gators' offense and pointed to the way they have built toughness in practice, a sign that this matchup may be about more than just name recognition when Florida arrives for a 3:30 p.m. ET kickoff on ABC.
The Gators have also shown real balance on the ground, ranking second in the SEC in rushing yards and leaning on a run game that has helped set their tone this season. Jadan Baugh has been at the center of it, giving Florida a reliable threat Missouri has to account for as it gets ready for a contest that now feels a little more complicated than it did a few days ago. [Read more 🡒]