Game Day: No. 8 Florida at No. 25 Missouri (Saturday, 3:30 pm ET)
Saturday, October 3, 2026 | Football
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COLUMBIA, Mo. – This time, the cleat would appear to be on the other foot.
Last week, Florida was at home and lying in wait for a rollicking Ole Miss team coming off an emotional, some would say generational, victory against its villainous former coach. When day turned to night, both the Gators and Gator Nation were frolicking in the aftermath in one of the program's most significant wins of the last couple decades.
Now comes the prosperity test.
Can everything the Gators did last week in shooting up into the top 10 and taking their place back on the national stage – powerful running game, explosive plays, forced turnovers, elite special teams – travel in rugged Southeastern Conference play when No. 8 UF (4-0, 2-0) takes on 25th-ranked Missouri (3-1, 0-1) Saturday at sold-out Faurot Field/Memorial Stadium?
[Read senior writer Scott Carter's comprehensive "Opening Kickoff" setup here]
The Tigers, of course, will have a say in that. Their last outing entailed a trip to Mississippi State, where a pair of ranked unbeatens squared off. The Bulldogs took a 14-0 first quarter lead, but the Tigers rallied on the road to go ahead 17-14 in the second quarter, then again 24-17 in the third quarter. That's where things stood midway through the fourth before MSU's electric young freshman quarterback Kamario Taylor led a comeback with a pair of touchdown drives to hand the visitors a stinging 31-24 defeat.
So, the Tigers have been stewing and steaming on that blown opportunity all week, knowing a shot of at high-profile redemption was on its way, what with the Gators having taken assumed the mantle of an "It" team on the rise, led by "It" Coach Jon Sumrall, with four blowout victories.
Making it five will not be easy. Not in a place known for sending UF home in despair. Whether this bunch of Gators is different than the ones who've dropped three of four here dating to 2017 – and it sure looks that way – will be revealed.
By now, everyone is familiar with the impressive offensive numbers. Florida rates second in the nation in both scoring (53.5 points per game) and total offense (532.8 ypg). Quarterback Aaron Philo (72.4%, 917 yards, 7 TD, 2 INT) has been robotically consistent and a terrific complement to a ground game averaging 260.0 yards, with bell cow tailback Jadan Baugh (83 carries, 600 yards, 11 TD) atop all early Heisman Trophy lists.
Baugh is backed up by reserve Duke Clark (259 yards, 3 TD), whose 8.1-yard average per carry actually is better than Baugh's (7.4). The UF receiving corps might be without star Vernell Brown III (17 catches, 271 yards, 2 TD), who is questionable with sore knee, but the Gators have other guys, such as Dallas Wilson (14 catches, 236, 2 TD), TJ Abrams (5 for 111) and a stable of tight ends who Philo favors.
The Missouri defense ranks 51st nationally (318.5 ypg), but 31st against the run in allowing only 100.3 yards per. Should the Tigers, despite being without injured starting defensive ends Darris Smith and Langden Kitchen, manage to stalemate the Gators up front, thus forcing Philo to beat them, well, that would be a scenario UF's heralded offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner has not had to deal with so far.
Tigers quarterback Austin Simmons has thrown 11 touchdowns without an interception.
Last week, Florida had its hands full with Rebels quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, but affected and bothered him enough, with the help of a deafening home crowd. Some may recall that Chambliss was a backup last year to start the year at Ole Miss, until an injury to the starter led to a battlefield promotion and sent talented Austin Simmons to the shelf. Simmons transferred to Mizzou is now running the offense for Coach Eli Drinkwitz.
Simmons (65.4%, 947 yards, 11 TD, 0 INT), who is left-handed and very mobile, has been outstanding, having thrown for 295 yards and three scores in last week's loss. His ground game is not what it should be minus first-team All-Southeastern Conference tailback Ahmad Hardy (1,649 yards, 16 TD last season), who is still recovering from an offseason gunshot wound and will not play Saturday. Jamal Roberts (395 yards, 3 TD) is the Tigers' rushing leader. Simmons has an excellent wideout tandem in Cayden Lee (27 catches, 412 yards, 4 TD) and Donovan Olugbode (20 catches, 313 yards, 5 TD).
This should be the toughest test yet for the UF defense, which checks in at 72nd nationally (351.3 ypg), including 113thagainst the pass (248.3 ypg), but 12th in takeaways (2.0 pg) and 17th in sacks (3.0).
The Gators passed their test two weeks ago at Auburn and built on it last week against Mississippi. Appropriately enough, they're in the Show Me State for another SEC litmus test.
What will they show?
Broadcast coverage starts at 3:30 p.m. on ABC (and streaming on ESPN), with the crew of Joe Tessitore on play-by-play, former Gators QB Jesse Palmer providing analysis and Kris Budden reporting from the sidelines. The Gators Sports Network broadcast will air with pregame coverage beginning at 12:15 p.m. and eventually give way to Sean Kelly, Shane Matthews and Tate Casey on the call. For GSN stations, click here.
Replays will air on Tuesday at 4 a.m. and again Wednesday at noon on the SEC Network.
Follow senior writer Scott Carter (@GatorsScott) for commentary and analysis throughout the game. FloridaGators.com will have complete post-game coverage late Saturday night and follow-up content Sunday as well.
