FINAL: No. 9 Missouri 33, Gators 31 — Starting QB Graham Mertz Injured
Saturday, November 18, 2023 | Football, Scott Carter
THE QUICK SLANT
No. 9 MISSOURI 33, FLORIDA 31
WHAT HAPPENED: The Gators lost their starting quarterback, regained the lead with less than two minutes left, but then lost the game 33-31 on a last-second field goal Saturday night at Memorial Stadium/Faurot Field in Columbia, Mo. Missouri kicker Harrison Mevis booted four field goals, including the game-winner with five seconds left to lift the ninth-ranked Tigers to victory. Missouri drove 62 yards on 12 plays on the game-winning drive, including converting a fourth-and-17 to keep its comeback bid alive. "Gotta believe some good is going to come from it,'' UF head coach Billy Napier said of his team's fourth consecutive loss. "Right now, we have some guys that are hurting." Moments before Mevis' 30-yard winner, it appeared the Gators were about to snap a three-game losing streak and become bowl eligible in the most unexpected way Saturday night — with backup QB Max Brown directing two fourth-quarter scoring drives in a come-from-behind upset. The Gators took the lead when Trey Smack kicked a 35-yard field goal to put Florida up, 31-30, with 1:36 remaining. However, that storyline was short-lived and not meant to be. The Tigers took over at their 25 after Smack's field goal and sputtered out to their 33 when they faced fourth-and-17. Missouri QB Brady Cook hit Luther Burden for a 27-yard gain to keep the drive alive. Five plays later, Mevis drilled the decisive field goal. While the Gators remained winless since their road win at South Carolina a month ago, Brown kept the Gators in the game Saturday night in front of a sold-out crowd. He replaced injured starter Graham Mertz late in the third quarter and led UF to a pair of scoring drives and the lead after a costly mistake. Trailing 23-21 early in the fourth quarter, the Gators were at Mizzou's 15 when Brown fumbled an exchange on a handoff to Montrell Johnson Jr., whose right elbow knocked the ball out of Brown's hand and Missouri recovered. Two plays later, Cook connected with WR Theo Wease Jr. for a 77-yard score. However, instead of folding, the Gators responded with a pair of scoring drives to take a 31-30 lead. Napier said after the game that Mertz suffered a non-displaced collarbone fracture. Mertz was injured late in third quarter when he gained 11 yards on third-and-5 for a first down. On the run, Mertz split a pair of Tigers with a bulldozing run. He remained in the game but following a handoff to Johnson on the next play, he immediately went to the locker room for X-rays. Mertz was 14 of 21 for 183 yards, two TDs and an interception before exiting. The Gators rolled up 500 yards of total offense with RB Trevor Etienne adding a rushing and receiving TD, but the Tigers put up 508 yards against a UF defense that has struggled mightily the second half of the season.
WHAT IT MEANS: Florida lost its fourth consecutive game after a 5-2 start to remain a victory shy of becoming bowl-eligible. The Gators finished the conference portion of the schedule 3-5, marking a third consecutive losing season in SEC play despite a valiant effort on the road.
IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Brown entered the game after Mertz's injury and had a costly fumble on the missed exchange with Johnson. Meanwhile, he responded by leading the Gators on back-to-back scoring drives. A sophomore from Tulsa, Okla., Brown finished 4 of 5 passing for 56 yards. He rushed seven times for 47 yards and proved capable in his most extensive time on the field since joining the program.
STAGGERING STATISTIC: Mertz's school-record streak of 239 consecutive passes without an interception ended in the second quarter when his pass to TE Arlis Boardingham sailed high and deflected off Boardingham's hands for an interception by Missouri S J.C. Carlies. Mertz broke Tim Tebow's streak of 203 during last week's loss at LSU.
UP NEXT: The Gators close out the regular season against rival Florida State next week at The Swamp. The Seminoles defeated North Alabama 58-13 on Saturday night but suffered a devastating loss to QB Jordan Travis, who left the game in the first quarter and was immediately carted to a waiting ambulance. Travis' lower left leg was bent awkwardly as multiple North Alabama tacklers converged and took him down. Travis' leg was placed in an air cast by the team's medical staff at hushed Doak Campbell Stadium.
