Gators Online Gameday Predictions: Florida Gators vs. Missouri Tigers

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — It has been more than a calendar month since the Florida Gators won a football game. The Gators have gone from 5-2 to 5-5 with just two games left on the schedule. Florida will look to end a three-game losing streak while also trying to avoid a third-straight losing record in conference play against the No. 9 Missouri Tigers this weekend in Columbia.

Gators Online staff writers Zach Abolverdi, Nick de la Torre, Corey Bender, and Keith Niebuhr, will pick every game this season and we will keep track of our staff picks and predictions as the year goes on.

Zach Abolverdi

As poorly as the defense performed in Death Valley, the Gators were still in the game early in the fourth quarter due in large part to their offense. They put up almost 500 yards, Graham Mertz threw for over 300 yards and their running back duo of Trevor Etienne (90 rushing yards) and Montrell Johnson Jr. (70 yards, 65 receiving) and receiver tandem of Ricky Pearsall (103 yards) and Eugene Wilson III (63) both produced at LSU.

The problem was that Florida’s defense failed to show up again, and Saturday night will be another tall task for this unit. Missouri quarterback Brady Cook is having a breakout year, running back Cody Schrader leads the SEC in rushing (1,124 yards) and the Tigers have their own WR tandem of Luther Burden III and Theo Wease Jr.

The Gators will be able score on Mizzou and make this another game in the fourth quarter, but I just don’t think Florida’s defense can make enough stops on the road to beat the Tigers. They’re coming off their best game of the season and Florida has yet to put a complete performance together.

Prediction: Missouri, 34-31

Corey Bender

I don’t believe the Gators’ offense will miss much of a beat on Saturday.

Graham Mertz is as efficient as they come, while Trevor Etienne, Montrell Johnson, Ricky Pearsall and Eugene Wilson III are consistently producing as well.

The offense is not the problem though. The Gators’ defense is allowing 160 yards rushing per game, which ranks 86th nationally. Much of the damage has been done over the past four weeks too, as Austin Armstrong’s unit has given up nearly 900 yards on the ground.

All in all, Missouri is stocked up offensively and should have no problem controlling the game at home. The outcome could definitely be different if the game was being played at the Swamp, but running back Cody Schrader should have enough success in order for Brady Cook to take occasional shots downfield.

This is a well-rounded offensive attack I don’t see UF being able to keep up with.

Prediction: Missouri, 38-24

Keith Niebuhr

How mentally sharp will Florida be after losing three straight games? It feels like that question is among the most important heading into this game. Because to be competitive against an outstanding Missouri team that has balance on offense and is solid on defense, the Gators must have their heads on right.

A hunch says they will.

Florida is young, and overall just not as talented as you’d like. But the Gators have enough good players to make this a contest. They have an improving and balanced offense with emerging playmakers. And they have a defense one would hope is eager and capable of redeeming itself after some recent embarrassments.

Florida is going to upset someone one of these days on the road. Might as well be Saturday.

Prediction: Florida, 27-26

Nick de la Torre

Back in June, we were tasked with picking the Florida Gators’ schedule game by game. Those picks I made back in June are, as of writing this, 10-0. In those picks I have the Gators winning in Columbia this week. My reasoning, at the time, was that Missouri wouldn’t be good. That’s wrong. The Tigers are 8-2 with their losses coming in a shootout to LSU and on the road against No. 1 Georgia.

I think the Gators can score on Missouri. They’ll have to because their defense can’t stop anybody on the road. Florida is giving up 464 yards and 38.2 points a game on the road. The Gators won’t give up 701 yards like they did last weekend in Baton Rouge, but Missouri is balanced. The Tigers can run it and Brady Cook is having a career year. I don’t trust Florida’s defense to suddenly show up this weekend after taking most of the last month off entirely.

I’ve gone against my picks from June twice this season, we’re making it three this week.

Prediction: Missouri, 41-37

Tracking the picks

Game	Abolverdi	Bender	Niebuhr	de la Torre
Season Record:	8-2	6-4	8-2	8-2
Utah	Utah ✅	Utah ✅	Utah ✅	Florida ❌
McNeese	Florida ✅	Florida ✅	Florida ✅	Florida ✅
Tennessee	Florida ✅	Tennessee ❌	Florida ✅	Florida ✅
Charlotte	Florida ✅	Florida ✅	Florida ✅	Florida ✅
Kentucky	Florida ❌	Florida ❌	Florida ❌	Kentucky ✅
Vanderbilt	Florida ✅	Florida ✅	Florida ✅	Florida ✅
South Carolina	Florida ✅	South Carolina ❌	Florida ✅	Florida ✅
Georgia	Georgia ✅	Georgia ✅	Georgia ✅	Georgia ✅
Arkansas	Florida ❌	Florida ❌	Florida ❌	Florida ❌
LSU	LSU ✅	LSU ✅	LSU ✅	LSU ✅
Missouri	Missouri	Missouri	Florida	Missouri
Florida State