How the Florida Gators Fared in Its Key Matchups Against Missouri
A 5-2 start to the season has disappeared for Billy Napier and the Florida Gators with their fourth-straight loss, this time a 33-31 defeat by No. 9 Missouri, moving them to 5-6 and in danger of missing a bowl game.
Prior to the game, All Gators broke down three key matchups that were likely to determine the outcome of the Gators' matchup against the Tigers. Here's how those battles played out.
Florida's run defense vs. Missouri's run offense: Don't let Cody Schrader be Ray Davis
It wasn't a Ray Davis-type performance for Cody Schrader, but his first half performance almost made it one.
Schrader rushed for 148 yards and a touchdown on the night with 123 of those yards coming in the first half. His 42-yard score in the second quarter put the Tigers up 10-7 in the second quarter, and he added a 34-yard rush to set up a field goal.
His production dipped in the second half, mostly due to having only eight carries through the final two quarters while Brady Cook and the Mizzou passing game found its rhythm, but his performance put Missouri ahead early and kept the Gators' defense at bay.
Gators' pass defense vs. Tigers' pass offense: Don't let Luther Burden III and Theo Wease be Brian Thomas Jr. and Malik Nabers
Fourth-and-17, the play that should've sealed the upset for Florida but quickly became a nightmare scenario for Gator Nation.
With Florida up 31-30 with 38 seconds left, Missouri, which had just burned its last timeout, needed 17 yards from its own 33-yard line to keep their hopes for a win alive.
Luther Burden III did that and then some. With Florida in zone coverage, he found space in the middle of the field, and Cook hit him for a 27-yard gain.
Five plays later, Harrison Mevis kicked the game-winner.
"Those are things, we’ll look back at a number of plays in this game and we’ll say, we could have done a little bit better," Napier said. "We had our opportunities for sure.”
With nine catches for 158 yards, Burden III moves up to eighth nationwide in receiving yards on the year (1,142).
He also had big catches in the third quarter with a 38-yarder to set up a touchdown and a 42-yarder to set up a field goal. Both of those retook leads for Missouri. It also didn't help that the 42-yard catch included a trucking of Miguel Mitchell, which allowed him to gain 33 more yards.
Theo Wease's night was just as efficient despite the lack of touches. The positive for Florida is they held the Oklahoma transfer to only one catch. The negative, however, was that one catch was a 77-yard touchdown to put the Tigers ahead 30-21 in the fourth quarter.
Leading up to the game, Napier and defensive back Jaydon Hill discussed the need for Florida to win one-on-one matchups. They didn't.
Billy Napier vs. Eliah Drinkwitz, Pt. 4: Two teams on opposite ends
Make it three wins for Eliah Drinkwitz in his coaching rivalry with Napier, but Florida had its chances, though.
The Gators held a lead on four separate occasions, but simply put, Missouri made more plays in critical situations.
After Graham Mertz went down with an injury, Max Brown fumbled a handoff, and Wease scored on the next play with a 77-yard catch and run. And, of course, there was the aforementioned fourth-and-17.
The veterans for Missouri, under fourth-year head coach Drinkwitz, outlasted a young Gators team without its starting center, starting left tackle, both starting middle linebackers and eventually its starting quarterback.
"Ultimately you’re coaching a bunch of guys that had zero experience prior to this year," Napier said. "That’s what it is. I think we’re teaching football while we’re competing at a high level. I just think you’ve got to continue to compete. I mean, ultimately we know what the issues are. I mean, whether it's communication, alignment, eye discipline, fundamentals. You know, we know what the issues are. We just ultimately got a hunch of guys out there that are playing college football, it's the first time they've done it."
Give credit to Florida, though. They certainly did fight despite the circumstances and against a top-ten opponent on the road.
However, there are no moral victories. Florida had its chances to win and couldn't finish, much like last week in Baton Rouge and three weeks ago against Arkansas.
"We’re going to see when we watch the tape, we’re going to see that there’s opportunities, things we could have done better as a staff, and certainly opportunities for players to make plays. But they battled. I know what’s inside those kids in there. I’m proud of that. Credit to Missouri," Napier said.
Keys Moving Forward
Still sitting at five wins, next week's rivalry bout against College Football Playoff contender Florida State is a win-or-go-home matchup for the Gators.
Both teams will expectedly be without their starting quarterbacks after FSU's Jordan Travis was carted off the field with a serious leg injury and UF's Mertz left with a nondisplaced collarbone fracture.
Napier explained that the team will know if the injury will require surgery on Monday.
Brown, who led Florida to 10 points in the fourth quarter, will likely make his first career start, while FSU will turn the keys of its offense to Tate Rodemaker. The importance of this game, despite the opposite records and rankings, cannot go unnoticed.
Florida needs a win to go to a bowl game. Florida State needs a win to stay in the fight for a playoff appearance. They'll still have to play Louisville for the ACC title.
Quarterback play will be the key. Both teams got hints of what the backups could do in game settings.
Brown completed four of his five attempts for 56 yards with 42 yards and a fumble on the ground in a little over one quarter of play. Rodemaker threw for 217 yards and two scores against North Alabama.
Putting Brown in his best chance to succeed by letting him run the ball with easy throws while creating havoc for Rodemaker could lead Florida to the upset win. If not, the Gators will turn the page to 2024 after three-straight losing seasons — for the first time since the 1940s and outside questions about the state of the program.
"We'll play to his strengths and, you know, there will be some confidence he can get from tonight after moving the team a little bit and making a handful of plays, and there'll be things that he learned from tonight that he can do better," Napier said. "And I can tell you this, I think the players will rally around the situation."
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