Saturday, November 18
Columbia, Mo.
7:30 p.m.
Florida Gators
at
Missouri
The Gators return to Memorial Stadium/Faurot Field on Saturday night to face the 11th-ranked Tigers. (Photo: Maddie Washburn/UAA Communications))
Game Day: Gators at No. 11 Missouri (7:30 pm, ESPN)
Saturday, November 18, 2023 | Football, Scott Carter
COLUMBIA, Mo. — The last time the Florida football team stood on Faurot Field two years ago, the Gators walked off with a 24-23 overtime loss to Missouri.
The instant then-Tigers quarterback Connor Bazelak connected with Daniel Parker Jr. for a 2-point conversion and deflating loss for Florida, a seismic rumble shook the Gators. The next day, head coach Dan Mullen was dismissed, and the door opened for Billy Napier to take over the program.
The Gators (5-5, 3-4) return Saturday night to face the 11th-ranked Tigers (8-2, 4-2) in the final Southeastern Conference regular-season game for Florida. The Gators close with a date against No. 4-ranked Florida State (10-0) next week at The Swamp.
While realists understood a turnaround was likely to take time under Napier, the mood has soured over the past month after Florida's 5-2 start. The Gators have lost three consecutive games and are flirting with a third straight losing season.
Florida must upset the Tigers or Seminoles over the next two games to avoid the unwanted milestone. They also need a win to become bowl-eligible.
[You can read our comprehensive "Opening Kickoff" setup here]
Napier didn't waste time addressing the current predicament when he opened his press conference on Monday less than 36 hours after a 52-35 loss at LSU in which the Gators allowed a program-record 701 yards.
"Sometimes when you're going through trials, troubles, hardship, adversity — whatever you want to call it —just talking with the staff and the players earlier, I think it's critical at this point, especially for our young players, that we are a good example. I was talking to the veterans in the accountability group. Don't avoid it. You've got to lean into it. You've got to attack it.
"You've got to embrace hard."
Missouri fits the bill.
The Tigers are coming off a 36-7 romp over Tennessee and are seeking their first 10-win season since 2014. Missouri quarterback Brady Cook directs an offense that averages 283.9 passing yards per game, ranked 22nd nationally. Cook has thrown for 2,746 yards, 17 touchdowns and five interceptions.
Meanwhile, Missouri features one of the best stories in college football in transfer running back Cody Schrader, who played in Division II before transferring to Mizzou and gaining the support of a booster friend who lobbied Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz to give him a shot as a walk-on. Drinkwitz obliged and has been rewarded with 1,124 yards and 11 touchdowns from Schrader.
Schrader became the first SEC player to rush for 200 yards and have 100 yards receiving in the same game in last week's home win over the Volunteers. Defensively, the Tigers rank 40th among FBS programs, allowing 344.1 yards per game.
Missouri is without a player Gators fans are familiar with tonight: linebacker Ty'Ron Hopper. Missouri's leading tackler started his career at Florida and played in that loss to the Tigers two years ago. He transferred to Missouri before the 2022 season. Hopper suffered an ankle injury against Tennessee and has been ruled out.
The Gators are 2-3 at Missouri since the Tigers joined the SEC in 2012, including lopsided defeats in 2013 (36-17) and 2017 (45-16).
To get their first win at Missouri in four years, the Gators will need to tighten up defensively to help an offense led by quarterback Graham Mertz, who is having an excellent season in his first year in Gainesville. Mertz leads the conference in completion percentage (73.3 percent) to go along with 18 touchdowns and only two interceptions. Mertz enters the game with a school-record streak of 226 consecutive passes without an interception.
Napier and his players stressed this week that the Gators must carry the right mentality onto the field to reverse recent results.
"It's much easier said than done,'' defensive back Jaydon Hill said. "It's been kind of the same recurring problems, but like I said before, it's easier said than done. We've got to take pride in it, take pride in the performance at the end of the day."
"It's essentially training. Much like you train strength, you train endurance, you're not born tough," Napier said. "You're not born with endurance. You're not born — and I think it's a test of your faith that allows you to develop faith. I do think it's a test of your character that allows you to develop character. I think challenge presents opportunity."
Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN with the crew of Joe Tessitore on play-by-play, former Gators quarterback Jesse Palmer providing analysis, and Katie George working the sidelines. The Gators Sports Network from Learfield will air with pregame coverage beginning at 6:30 p.m. and eventually give way to the team of play-by-play voice Sean Kelley, former UF quarterback and two-time SEC Player of the Year Shane Matthews with the color, and sideline reporter Tate Casey for kickoff.
For stations, click here.
The game will be replayed Sunday at 9 p.m. and again Wednesday at 2 a.m. on the SEC Network.
Finally, follow senior writer Scott Carter (@GatorsScott) for commentary and analysis throughout the game. FloridaGators.com will have complete postgame coverage from the game on Saturday and follow-up content on Sunday.
The instant then-Tigers quarterback Connor Bazelak connected with Daniel Parker Jr. for a 2-point conversion and deflating loss for Florida, a seismic rumble shook the Gators. The next day, head coach Dan Mullen was dismissed, and the door opened for Billy Napier to take over the program.
The Gators (5-5, 3-4) return Saturday night to face the 11th-ranked Tigers (8-2, 4-2) in the final Southeastern Conference regular-season game for Florida. The Gators close with a date against No. 4-ranked Florida State (10-0) next week at The Swamp.
While realists understood a turnaround was likely to take time under Napier, the mood has soured over the past month after Florida's 5-2 start. The Gators have lost three consecutive games and are flirting with a third straight losing season.
Florida must upset the Tigers or Seminoles over the next two games to avoid the unwanted milestone. They also need a win to become bowl-eligible.
[You can read our comprehensive "Opening Kickoff" setup here]
It's Gameday! 🐊 pic.twitter.com/V1wrAgu3fW
— Florida Gators Football (@GatorsFB) November 18, 2023
Napier didn't waste time addressing the current predicament when he opened his press conference on Monday less than 36 hours after a 52-35 loss at LSU in which the Gators allowed a program-record 701 yards.
"Sometimes when you're going through trials, troubles, hardship, adversity — whatever you want to call it —just talking with the staff and the players earlier, I think it's critical at this point, especially for our young players, that we are a good example. I was talking to the veterans in the accountability group. Don't avoid it. You've got to lean into it. You've got to attack it.
"You've got to embrace hard."
Missouri fits the bill.
The Tigers are coming off a 36-7 romp over Tennessee and are seeking their first 10-win season since 2014. Missouri quarterback Brady Cook directs an offense that averages 283.9 passing yards per game, ranked 22nd nationally. Cook has thrown for 2,746 yards, 17 touchdowns and five interceptions.
Meanwhile, Missouri features one of the best stories in college football in transfer running back Cody Schrader, who played in Division II before transferring to Mizzou and gaining the support of a booster friend who lobbied Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz to give him a shot as a walk-on. Drinkwitz obliged and has been rewarded with 1,124 yards and 11 touchdowns from Schrader.
Schrader became the first SEC player to rush for 200 yards and have 100 yards receiving in the same game in last week's home win over the Volunteers. Defensively, the Tigers rank 40th among FBS programs, allowing 344.1 yards per game.
Missouri is without a player Gators fans are familiar with tonight: linebacker Ty'Ron Hopper. Missouri's leading tackler started his career at Florida and played in that loss to the Tigers two years ago. He transferred to Missouri before the 2022 season. Hopper suffered an ankle injury against Tennessee and has been ruled out.
The Gators are 2-3 at Missouri since the Tigers joined the SEC in 2012, including lopsided defeats in 2013 (36-17) and 2017 (45-16).
To get their first win at Missouri in four years, the Gators will need to tighten up defensively to help an offense led by quarterback Graham Mertz, who is having an excellent season in his first year in Gainesville. Mertz leads the conference in completion percentage (73.3 percent) to go along with 18 touchdowns and only two interceptions. Mertz enters the game with a school-record streak of 226 consecutive passes without an interception.
Napier and his players stressed this week that the Gators must carry the right mentality onto the field to reverse recent results.
"It's much easier said than done,'' defensive back Jaydon Hill said. "It's been kind of the same recurring problems, but like I said before, it's easier said than done. We've got to take pride in it, take pride in the performance at the end of the day."
"It's essentially training. Much like you train strength, you train endurance, you're not born tough," Napier said. "You're not born with endurance. You're not born — and I think it's a test of your faith that allows you to develop faith. I do think it's a test of your character that allows you to develop character. I think challenge presents opportunity."
Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN with the crew of Joe Tessitore on play-by-play, former Gators quarterback Jesse Palmer providing analysis, and Katie George working the sidelines. The Gators Sports Network from Learfield will air with pregame coverage beginning at 6:30 p.m. and eventually give way to the team of play-by-play voice Sean Kelley, former UF quarterback and two-time SEC Player of the Year Shane Matthews with the color, and sideline reporter Tate Casey for kickoff.
For stations, click here.
The game will be replayed Sunday at 9 p.m. and again Wednesday at 2 a.m. on the SEC Network.
Finally, follow senior writer Scott Carter (@GatorsScott) for commentary and analysis throughout the game. FloridaGators.com will have complete postgame coverage from the game on Saturday and follow-up content on Sunday.
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