The Quick Slant: Gators 40, Missouri 14
Saturday, October 15, 2016 | Football, Scott Carter
The No. 18-ranked Gators improve to 5-1 with a homecoming victory over Missouri.
For those who didn't know that or needed more proof, Tabor and Wilson provided evidence on Saturday in a span of 2 minutes, 11 seconds late in the second quarter of Florida's 40-14 homecoming victory against Missouri.
On a soggy Saturday afternoon at the Swamp, and with Florida's offense clinging to a 6-0 lead and the Tigers with the ball, Tabor intercepted Missouri quarterback Drew Lock and raced 39 yards for a touchdown.
Next drive for Missouri: Wilson picked off Lock and outran the Tigers for a 78-yard interception return for a touchdown.
A six-point lead mushroomed just like that to a 20-0 halftime lead.
Florida's offense finally found the end zone in the second half to open a comfortable lead and defeat Missouri for the second consecutive season.
Here is a closer look at the Florida-MIssouri game:
WHAT IT MEANS: Coupled with Tennessee's 49-10 loss to No. 1 Alabama on Saturday, Florida's victory over Missouri moves the Gators into first place in the SEC East. The defending division champs dropped behind the Vols after a 38-28 loss in Knoxville on Sept. 24, but Tennessee has lost two in a row to fall to 2-2 in conference play. Florida is 3-1.
IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Quarterback Luke Del Rio played for the first time since suffering a knee injury against North Texas on Sept. 17. Del Rio struggled with consistency and turnovers. He finished 18 of 38 for 236 yards, three interceptions and one touchdown. One of Del Rio's picks led to a Missouri scoring drive that trimmed Florida's lead to 20-7 early in the third quarter.
STAGGERING STATISTIC: The interception returns for touchdown by Tabor and Wilson marked the first time in 22 years (1994 vs. Georgia at the Swamp) Florida returned two picks for scores in an SEC game.
SUBPLOT: The matchup most highlighted prior to this game was Missouri's SEC-leading pass offense against Florida's SEC-best pass defense. No contest. Lock entered the game leading the SEC in passing yards per game (335). He finished 4 of 18 for 39 yards and two interceptions Saturday before being replaced by Marvin Zander in the fourth quarter.
UP NEXT: The Gators have a bye week -- their second Saturday off in three weeks due to Hurricane Matthew -- before facing Georgia in Jacksonville on Oct. 29.
