Missouri, Virginia have been run-heavy on their way to TaxSlayer Gator Bowl

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It could be a ground-and-pound TaxSlayer Gator Bowl on Dec. 27 at EverBank Stadium (7:30 p.m., ABC).

Some records might even fall — a few that are more than 60 years old

That’s because the two teams that will play in the 81st edition of the nation’s sixth-oldest bowl game, Missouri from the SEC and Virginia from the ACC, are run-first and enter the game with the two leading rushers in their respective conferences.

Sophomore Ahmad Hardy of Missouri (8-4) is second in the nation with 1,560 yards and tied for sixth with 16 touchdowns. Senior J’Mari Taylor of 19th-ranked Virginia (10-3) is 27th in the nation with 1,062 yards and tied for 13th in the nation with 15 touchdowns.

Both players are low to the ground (Hardy is 5 feet 10, Taylor, 5-9) but powerfully built and don’t run backwards. They go downhill with all the subtlety and relentlessness of a rock slide.

And neither coach will be shielding the fact that they will want to establish the run. In the Tigers‘ case, that might be especially true since starting quarterback Beau Pribula entered the transfer portal and won’t play, giving way to freshman Matt Zollers.

But will J’Mari Taylor play?

Published reports in outlets such as Richmond.com said Taylor was “contemplating” an opt-out of the Gator Bowl.

Taylor was invited to the Senior Bowl last week, which could play a factor in whether he competes in the Gator Bowl.

#UVa RB J’Mari Taylor, “is deliberating about whether or not he’s going to play” in Saturday’s Gator Bowl against Missouri.

More from after the Hoos’ practice in Florida here: https://t.co/y73o2XG6xYpic.twitter.com/A1STd8v12S

— Greg Madia (@GregMadia) December 26, 2025

If he doesn’t play, the Cavaliers next-leading back is graduate senior Harrison Wayne (5-10, 205), who gained 515 yards and scored five touchdowns, averaging 5.0 per carry.

Wide receiver Tyrell Harris, who leads the Cavaliers with 59 catches for 847 yards and five TDs, also is on the short list of players who may opt out.

Missouri will be missing pass-catchers

Zollers also won’t have several of the Cavaliers’ leading receivers, Josh Manning and Marquis Johnson on the outside and tight end Brett Norfleet. Manning and Johnson entered the portal and Norfleet is out with an injury.

That makes Hardy Zoller’s new best friend, because nothing comforts a young quarterback more than the knowledge that he has a workhorse running back to slow down any notions of blitzing.

Tony Elliott, Eli Drinkwitz praise each other’s team

Virginia coach Tony Elliott had no hesitation in labeling Hardy, “the best running back in the country.”

“Their offense is going to challenge you,” he said. “They’re built a little bit different than maybe what we see in our league from a size standpoint, so it’ll be a really, really good challenge for us.”

Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz said Virginia will have one edge: well-traveled veteran quarterback Chandler Morris, who is with his fourth college team after stops at Oklahoma, TCU and North Texas. Morris threw for 2,802 yards, 16 touchdowns and nine interceptions this season, completing 64.2 percent of his passes.

“They have a six-year quarterback who understands what they’re trying to do,” Drinkwitz said. “They have a very good run game, but do a good job throwing the football. It’s a challenge on us defensively, because we’re down a few players.”

One of those losses might not be replaceable in the short time between the final game of the season. Sophomore linebacker Josiah Trotter, who led the Tigers with 84 tackles (13 for losses) hurt his knee against Arkansas and will not play.

There’s one key difference between Hardy and Taylor: Virginia uses Taylor as a weapon in the passing game, with Taylor hauling in 43 receptions for 253 yards this season. Hardy has caught only six passes for 22 yards.

Both coaching staffs have ACC ties

Missouri and Virginia not only have a taste for the run but they also operate from similar schemes, heavy on zone reads and running north-to-south.

There’s a connection: Virginia offensive coordinator Des Kitchings was the running backs coach at N.C. State from 2012-2018 and Drinkwitz was the Wolfpack offensive coordinator from 2016-2018, with Kitchings taking over in 2019 when Drinkwitz moved to Appalachian State.

That overlapped with the period when Elliott was the running backs coach and then offensive coordinator at Clemson from 2011-2021.

Both teams had talented quarterbacks during that time period, but never neglected the run. 

Elliott was on the Clemson offensive staff when Tajh Boyd, Deshaun Watson and Trevor Lawrence were under center, but Andre Ellington, Roderick McDowell, Wayne Gallman and Travis Etienne combined to churn out eight 1,000-yard seasons. 

While Drinkwitz and Kitchings were on the N.C. State staff, Mike Glennon, Jacoby Brissett and Ryan Finley played quarterback, and Matt Dayes, Nyheim Hines and Reggie Gallaspy had 1,000-yard seasons. 

“I think the matchup is really good,” Drinkwitz said. “It’s going to be strength on strength.”

Cavaliers have combined schemes

Eliott said it might be like the old ACC days

“I’ve been chasing Eli for years with that wide zone and all of the shifts and the formations and the unbalanced [lines],” Elliott said. “In my background, I was a tight zone and a counter guy, and Eli wanted to run a little bit more counter then I wanted to run, and a little bit more wide zone. And now with Des and his background, you can see that’s our primary run scheme. So definitely see some similarities.”

Elliott said Virginia’s scheme has turned out to be a hybrid of the two.

“I turned over the reins to Des, who was able to kind of sprinkle in a few things in my background,” he said. “But a lot of it is the things that Des has acquired over his years with Eli at NC State … you see a lot of the unbalanced and the formation into the boundary and the shifts and the motions. Things are a little bit different than how we were built at Clemson.”

Gator Bowl rushing records

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: RBs Ahmad Hardy of Missouri, J’Mari Taylor of Virginia clash in Gator Bowl

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