Missouri Tigers football vs. Florida Gators: Time, TV and 5 things to know
.JPG "Missouri running back Tyler Badie, right, runs past South Carolina linebacker Brad Johnson, center during the first quarter of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 13, 2021, in Columbia, Mo. (AP Photo/L.G. Patterson)")
The Missouri Tigers’ football team has its last home game of the season this Saturday against Florida.
Here are details and five things to know about the game.
THE DETAILS
Kickoff: 3 p.m. Saturday
Where: Faurot Field, Columbia
TV: SEC Network
Radio: KMBZ (98.1 FM)
The line: Florida by 8 1/2
FIVE THINGS TO KNOW
1. High stakes. There is a lot at stake for Missouri and Florida this Saturday. Both teams enter this game 5-5 and in need of one more win to secure a trip to a bowl game. Of the Tigers’ two dates remaining, this is their best shot at notching that sixth victory, as the following week entails a road game against the Arkansas Razorbacks, who boast a 7-3 record and are ranked No. 21 in this week’s AP Top 25 poll.
2. Samford scare. When you look at the Gators’ game from this past Saturday, you might think you’re looking at the score of a basketball game. Florida defeated FCS opponent Samford 70-52, but it was much closer than what that score suggests. The Gators trailed at several different points, including a 42-35 deficit at halftime, which marks the most ever points allowed in a half by the program. Florida had a 56-42 lead by the end of the third quarter, but the game was as close as four points a few minutes into the fourth before the home team pulled away. For context, Samford entered that day with a 4-5 record in FCS play.
3. Coaching staff changes. On Nov. 8, following three consecutive losses, Florida head coach Dan Mullen fired two members of his staff: defensive coordinator Todd Grantham and running game coordinator/offensive line coach John Hevesy. Both had been on the Gators’ coaching staff with Mullen since he was hired in 2018 and with him at previous stops before that. The defense struggled even more following Grantham’s firing, allowing 52 points, 530 total yards and 28 first downs to Samford. Mullen is very much on the hot seat himself and many suspect his firing is looming.
4. Let’s talk about defense. The Mizzou defense was a catastrophe for most of the season, especially against the run. Though the Tigers still have the second-worst run defense in FBS, the unit has shown some improvement in recent weeks. Last Saturday, Mizzou held South Carolina to 57 rushing yards and 1.6 yards per rush, marking the second consecutive week the team held an opponent under 200 rushing yards. Junior Isaiah McGuire was named SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week on Monday following the win over the Gamecocks in which he had six solo tackles, 2.0 tackles for loss, including a sack for a loss of 13 yards, and forced and recovered a fumble. The run defense will be put to the test against the Gators, who average an FBS-best 5.97 yards per rush and 227.6 rushing yards per game, which ranks ninth in the country.
5. Series at a lock. It’s tied 5-5. Florida has won the last two games, outscoring Mizzou 64-23. The last eight meetings have all been decided by 17 or more points — will things be closer this time around?
