How about those Florida Gators??? 6-0 for the first time since 2012, bowl eligible in October, and combined with Georgia losing to Tennessee earlier today, and not only are they in complete control of the SEC East, but they have some real margin for error.
Here are some of the notable takeaways from the Gators’ 21-3 win at Missouri:
It was over when… Jalen Tabor picked off Drew Lock and took it to the house to make it 21-3 in the third quarter and it was clear Missouri had no answers.
Play of the game… Has to be the aforementioned pick six by Tabor in a game that was otherwise devoid of big plays.
Game ball goes to… Kelvin Taylor, who served as the workhorse for the Gators on offense. He carried 28 times for 100 yards, and two touchdowns. His running consistently put Florida in manageable down and distance positions, and also helped run out the clock throughout the second half.
Stat of the game… 1-14. Missouri converted just one third down in 14 attempts- and that one came with under a minute to go, and already down 21-3.
What to be proud of… This was a potential trap game, and the Gators avoided it. Florida also just knocked off the two time defending SEC East Champ, and all but eliminated them from winning the division for the third straight year.
What to work on… After a big first quarter, Florida’s offense struggled for the duration of the game. And this time, it wasn’t really the offensive line’s fault. Receivers suddenly couldn’t get open, and Grier didn’t exactly have his best night as a Gator. But Taylor did enough on the ground and the defense made enough plays that it didn’t matter.
Bottom line: Florida may not have played its best game, but they played a good enough game to avoid the trap game loss, and they stand at 6-0. And after going 11-13 the last two seasons, Jim McElwain’s team is a legitimate national championship contender. You read that line right. Go Gators.
Scoring recap:
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final | |
| FLORIDA | 14 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 21 |
| MISSOURI | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
Scoring plays:
| Team | Time | Play | FLA | MIZ |
| FLORIDA | 1st 9:39 | K. Taylor 1 yd run (PAT good) | 7 | 0 |
| MISSOURI | 1st 7:33 | A. Baggett 22 yd FG | 7 | 3 |
| FLORIDA | 1st 1:09 | K. Taylor 1 yd run (PAT good) | 14 | 3 |
| FLORIDA | 3rd 6:25 | J. Tabor 40 yd return of an interception (PAT good) | 21 | 3 |
