2026 Mizzou Football Early Opponent Preview, Game 5: Florida

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Florida is ushering in a new era of Gator football in 2026. Perhaps that's for the best.

The Gators have amassed a 23-27 record over the last four seasons, only one of which ended with a winning record (8-5) in 2024. Their best SEC record in that four-season stretch was a 4-4 finish in 2024.

Former head coach Billy Napier was fired seven games into the 2025 season, ending his tenure after more than three seasons at the helm. Starting quarterback DJ Lagway, who looked at-times elite but battled injuries throughout his stint in Gainesville, transferred to Baylor after the season. Former Tulane head coach Jon Sumrall replaced Napier as head coach, while a transfer and returning redshirt freshman are battling to be his QB1.

So when Florida and Missouri clash in the Tigers' fifth game of the 2026 season, it'll be an entirely different Gators squad from top to bottom since the last time the teams met back in 2023. Here's what Missouri can expect for when the Gators come to town.

Offense

As previously mentioned, Sumrall officially replaced Napier as head coach of the program following the 2025 season. While the former Tulane head coach is defensive-oriented, he brought in plenty of his own guys to run a new-look Gator offense.

Buster Faulkner, who most recently served as Georgia Tech's offensive coordinator, was hired for the same position with the Gators. He replaced Russ Callaway. Former Tulane OC Joe Craddock will be the Gators' new quarterbacks coach.

Chris Foster left Duke to become Florida's running backs coach, Marcus Davis left Auburn to serve as the Gators' wide receivers coach and Phil Trautwein left Penn State to be Florida's offensive line coach.

The coaching staff is solidified, but the depth chart is not – specifically at quarterback. Former Georgia Tech backup quarterback Aaron Philo followed Faulkner from Atlanta to Gainesville and is in the midst of a battle with rising redshirt freshman Tramell Jones Jr.

Philo, now entering his redshirt sophomore season, threw for a combined 938 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions while completing 57.8% of his passes, serving as Haynes King's backup for two seasons at Georgia Tech. He played against VMI, Virginia Tech, Miami and NC State in 2024, but only threw a pass against Gardner-Webb in 2025 – King stayed healthy, unlike in 2024. Philo, the former three-star recruit, could have an edge over Jones in the quarterback competition, given his prior experience with Faulkner.

Jones has his own advantages in the battle, though. He outperformed Philo in the spring game, completing 13 of his 17 passes for 210 yards and two touchdowns – Philo completed 19 of 25 attempts for 171 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.

Whichever quarterback wins the battle will be working with a new set of offensive weapons.

Eric Singleton Jr., who spent the first two seasons of his career with Faulkner at Georgia Tech before spending the 2025 season at Auburn, transferred to Florida and will be a top wideout option. He amassed 58 receptions for 534 yards and three touchdowns last season, but racked up 104 catches, 1,468 yards and nine touchdowns during his two years at Georgia Tech.

Joining them in the receiver room is rising sophomore Vernell Brown III, a former four-star recruit who led the Gators with 40 receptions and 512 yards in 2025. Brown could breakout as one of the top wideouts in the SEC.

Returner TJ Abrams and transfers Bailey Stockton and Micah Mays Jr. will serve as quality depth options. Each logged more than 200 receiving yards in 2025. Jaylen Loyd, who recorded more than 200 yards in the 2023 and 2024 seasons at Nebraska before barely seeing the field at Oklahoma State in 2025, rounds out the top-end of the room.

Jadan Baugh will helm the Gators' rushing attack, as the rising junior logged a team-high 1,170 yards and eight rushing touchdowns last season. He'll be one of the top tailbacks in the conference. Cincinatti transfer Evan Pryor and East Carolina transfer London Montgomery will be supporting contributors, as each totaled more than 500 rushing yards in 2025.

Aside from young staples like Baugh, Brown and potentially Jones, Florida's offense will have a much different look to it.

Defense

In his two seasons at Tulane, Sumrall ranked top-5 in the American Conference in both points and yards allowed per game, leading a consistent unit. He hired former Kentucky defensive coordinator Brad White to serve the same role at Florida for the upcoming season. White's unit struggled in 2025 but put together strong seasons throughout the rest of his tenure.

Florida's defense struggled to generate pressure last season but was headlined by a young group that could see improvement in 2026. Freshman Jayden Woods and junior Kamran James led the unit with 3.5 sacks off the edge each in 2025. Woods is expected by many as a breakout candidate for the 2026 season.

Rising junior Brendan Bett is set to return as a starter in 2026 after logging 40 tackles and three sacks last season. Returner Joseph Mbatchou and 6-foot-6, 303-pound Emmanuel Oyebadejo could start alongside him at the other defensive tackle spot.

The inside linebacker group returns much more production, as three of the top-4 leading tacklers returned to the program. Myles Graham, who led the team with 76 tackles and two sacks, helms the unit, while Aaron Chiles and Jaden Robinson logged 52 and 51 tackles respectively. Chiles, a rising junior, could be another breakout candidate to watch.

Returning starting safety Bryce Thornton headlines the secondary, as he logged a team-high six passes defended last season while tacking on an interception and 31 tackles. Returning rotational player Alfonzo Allen Jr. and Kentucky transfer Cam Dooley will likely battle for the other starting spot.

The Gators lost starting corners Devin Moore to the NFL and the transfer portal respectively, leaving the unit in the hands of lesser-experienced returners like Dijon Johnson, Cormani McClain Jr. and Ben Hanks III.

Schedule

As is the case with any SEC opponent, Florida is no step-over and should be treated with respect. However, the Gators, although under new leadership, aren't among the giants of the conference like Alabama and Texas – this is yet another quality matchup for Missouri to ramp itself up into the SEC gauntlet.

Florida will be fresh off a tough matchup against Ole Miss the week prior and will take on South Carolina the week after.

Outlook

All things considered, Missouri should probably be favored to win this game, assuming it handles business against Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Kansas, Troy and Mississippi State, specifically the first three.

Florida will have a new head coach, a first-time starting quarterback and will be entering the beast that is Memorial Stadium, where the Tigers boast a 14-2 record over the last two seasons. Missouri has its fair share of unknowns, but Florida has a tad more – rolling with the Tigers until they prove otherwise is a safe mindset.

Game Info

Date:Saturday, Oct 3
Time: TBD
TV: TBD
Location: Memorial Stadium in Columbia, Missouri
Series history: Missouri leads 7-6

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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/missouri as 2026 Mizzou Football Early Opponent Preview, Game 5: Florida.

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