Tigers chomp Gators: Hall returns as Missouri scores 38-17 upset at No. 13 Florida

What a difference a week makes for Missouri.

And Emanuel Hall.

Just a week removed MU’s devastating loss to Kentucky, the star senior wideout returned for his first game since September to lead the Tigers to a 38-17 upset over No. 13 Florida. The win was MU’s first over a ranked program since 2014 and coach Barry Odom’s first as a head coach.

After going the entire second half without a first down against Kentucky, Drew Lock led a rejuvenated offense that flourished with Hall back. Lock threw for 250 yards and three touchdowns. Hall led all Missouri wideouts with four catches for 77 yards and a touchdown.

Missouri’s defense was put in its usual position early on. A bad drive, which ended with a poor punt by Corey Fatony and a penalty, gave Florida the ball at Missouri’s 31-yard line with 8:38 left in the first quarter. The Tigers’ defense kept Florida out of the end zone and held the Gators to a field goal for an early 3-0 lead with 7:18 left.

Lock and the offense got their act together from there. Starting at their own 25-yard line, Lock led Missouri downfield with short-passes to Larry Rountree, Jalen Knox and Johnathon Johnson to get into Gator territory. Hall made his first catch in six weeks for an 11-yard gain to the Gators’ 27-yard-line.

The following play, Rountree found a gaping hole and ran for a 27-yard touchdown to give Missouri a 7-3 lead with 3:46 left.

Missouri’s defense continued to have success against the run, holding Florida to 85 yards rushing in the first half. Defensive end Akail Byers was a constant presence in the backfield, causing quarterback Feleipe Franks to throw the ball away repeatedly.

A strong defensive series gave Missouri the ball at the Gators’ 43-yard line with 13:59 left in the second quarter. After a 18-yard run by true freshman Tyler Badie, Lock found tight end Albert Okewuegbunam two plays later for a wide-open 22-yard touchdown to extend the lead to 14-3. Both Badie and Okwuegbunam left the game with foot and shoulder injuries, and their status for next week’s game is unknown.

Hall helped set up another touchdown after coming down with a 41-yard catch on third down two series later to set Mizzou up at the Gators’ 13-yard line. Crockett ran into the end zone two players later to extend the lead to 21-3. Crockett celebrated with a Gator chomp in front of Florida’s fans.

Florida cut the deficit to 11 shortly before halftime. Franks led Florida downfield on a 10-play, 75-yard drive that took almost 4:30 off the clock. Franks ran it himself for a three-yard score to cut Missouri’s lead to 21-10 with 1:42 left in the first half.

Throughout the season, Missouri has been unable to deliver the knockout punch when given the opportunity. The Tigers failed to do so against Purdue, but still won, and left room for Kentucky and South Carolina to mount second-half comebacks.

On Saturday, MU finally landed a solid left hook in the third quarter. After an opening stop by the defense to give Missouri the ball back, Lock found true freshman Kam Scott for a 41-yard touchdown to extend the lead to 28-10.

Hall caught his first touchdown since Sept. 15 with five minutes left in the third quarter on a four-yard slant, and MU led 35-10.

Florida got its crowd back into the game briefly after Franks found wideout Josh Hammond for a fourth-down score to cut MU’s lead to 35-17. But the Tigers’ defense kept the Gators scoreless for the rest of the game.

Missouri has a chance to become bowl eligible next week when Vanderbilt comes to Columbia. Kickoff is slated for 11 a.m.

This story was originally published November 3, 2018 at 6:41 PM.