Gators Drop Hard Fought Contest to Tigers, 33-31
Florida took the fight to No. 9 Missouri on Saturday night, but it wasn't enough to triumph over the Tigers on the road.
The Gators threatened to score for the third-straight possession following quarterback Graham Mertz's powerful 11-yard scamper on third and five to keep the drive alive down by two. But, while the extra yards produced short-term success, Mertz trotted off toward the sideline a play later, favoring his left shoulder.
He hit the turf before reaching the Gators bench, where he was tended to by medical trainers before being taken to the Missouri football facility for further tests.
His absence initially disrupted the positive Billy Napier and Co. built offensively to that point, as backup Max Brown turned the ball over on a poor handoff exchange with running back Montrell Johnson Jr. It allowed Missouri to open up its biggest lead of the night, 30-21.
The moment wasn't too big for the redshirt freshman in his first moment under the spotlight at the collegiate level, though. He confidently took over the offense's reins from there, leading two straight scoring drives to post 10 unanswered points.
However, an impressive final drive by Eli Drinkwitz's squad set up Tigers' kicker Harrison Mevis for a game-winning field goal attempt. He connected on his fourth of the night to survive the upset scare, 33-31.
Despite being a contest largely expected to produce copious amounts of scoring, the first half was a scoring struggle, resulting in just 20 combined points between the two teams.
Florida opened the contest with a red zone stop to hold the 26th-ranked Tigers offense to three points on the first drive.
Gators wideout Ricky Pearsall's 61-yard reception immediately placed Florida on the Tigers' doorstep. Eugene Wilson III reeled his fourth-straight opening-drive receiving touchdown on a well-placed ball from Mertz to give UF an early 7-3 lead.
Several empty drives ensued until Mizzou running back Cody Schrader — who posted his fourth-straight 100-plus-yard rushing performance — found a crease in the left side of the Gators defensive line to reel off a 42-yard score to begin the second quarter.
Mevis added another field goal with 1:21 remaining in the half to head into the half up 13-7.
Florida received the ball trailing by six when the two squads returned from the locker room. The game turned into the expected offensive battle from that point forward.
The Gators leaned on running back Trevor Etienne, as he doubled his first-half touch total on that initial drive of the third quarter as the feature offensive weapon.
Accounting for 83 yards on four carries and one reception, Etienne jolted the Florida offense to life for the first time since its well-executed first possession.
He capped off the series with a 37-yard reception score, putting UF up 21-20.
Florida's reclaim of the lead didn't last long as the high-octane Missouri offense found its rhythm on the ensuing drive. Brady Cook found wideout Luther Burden III down the left sideline for a 38-yard gain to move the Tigers into plus-territory. Five plays later, the Mizzou quarterback punched it in with his legs to regain control of the contest, 20-14.
The impressive opening drives to start the second half sparked a back-and-forth scoring stretch as the squads traded spots as the leader on the scoreboard.
Pearsall reappeared with a designed touch on an end around, carving through the Tigers' defense for a 39-yard score. It allowed the Gators to retake the lead.
Then, an acrobatic, tip-drill reception by Burden seemingly answered Florida again before being ruled incomplete. Penalties derailed Missouri's drive to force a field goal after failing to convert on third and goal. Mevis knocked through the 24-yard attempt to uplift his group and another lead change.
Mertz's aforementioned injury came on the Gators' next offensive possession. Brown's sloppy exchange with ball carrier Johnson six snaps later eliminated Florida's chance to retake the lead at that stage.
However, the backup passer willed the unit to cut the lead down to two following an explosive 77-yard catch and run from Missouri wideout Theo Wease Jr., presenting an opportunity for Etienne to earn his fifth touchdown in the last two games.
On the drive, he found starting wide receiver Kahleil Jackson on a slant to convert on fourth down before connecting with him again 27 yards down the sideline on the next play.
The Gators' defense forced a much-needed stop on the next possession to give Brown and Co. one last opportunity to pull off the improbable upset over the top ten SEC East foe.
He moved the ball into field goal territory, highlighted by a 27-yard keeper on third and three. Brown finished with 56 yards passing and 42 yards rushing in the gutsy performance off the bench. Florida placekicker Trey Smack connected on the try from 35 yards out to put the Gators on top, 31-30, with 1:36 remaining.
However, Cook caught fire on the final possession — converting a 4th and 18 with a strike to Burden in the process — to set up Mevis' game-winning field goal.
The Gators fall to 5-6 on the season with the 33-31 defeat.
They'll return to the gridiron in Week 13 for an in-state rivalry bout with the No. 4 Florida State Seminoles in Gainesville, playing for bowl eligibility for the final time in 2023.
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