A night game matchup between two unranked teams in Gainesville may not be viewed as a marquee matchup in the eyes of the college football world, but for both Florida and Missouri this weekend’s matchup means a great deal.

The Gators are quickly looking for some momentum and a big divisional win after a crushing loss to LSU last weekend. Before Florida takes the field Saturday night to take on Missouri, we spoke with Dave Matter, a Missouri Tigers beat writer for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch to get a different perspective on what Florida fans can expect from the Gary Pinkel’s squad.

Drew Laing: Quarterback Maty Mauk has looked terrible in his two SEC games so far this season, and overall, his completion percentage is a shaky 54 percent. Are his struggles due to his over ability or would it be more appropriate to pin them on O-line play and injuries to wide receivers?

Dave Matter: It’s a combination of factors, but more than anything, Mauk is struggling. He’s leaving the pocket too soon, wildly scrambling and spinning around and not trusting the pocket to protect him. He was working with the JV receiving corps at South Carolina, but that was a poor defense that shut him down for three quarters. Georgia’ pass rush overpowered Missouri’s offensive line a few times early, and even when the protection got better later in the game, Mauk was skittish and bailed out of the pocket. Also, Missouri’s not getting much out of its running game, and that’s putting more pressure on the passing game to convert second-and-long and third-and-long situations.

Laing: Bud Sasser is arguably the best wide receiver no one talks about. Talk about what makes him so dynamic.

Matter: He’s got great hands, runs solid routes and he’s clever when it comes to reading defenses and finding ways to get open. He’s the most reliable offensive playmaker on this team, and in most games, Mauk has recognized that and gotten him the ball when Missouri needed a big play.

Laing: Obviously, Shane Ray and Markus Golden are the two biggest names on Missouri’s defense. Past them, who are some other defensive players Florida fans should be concerned with?

Matter: Linebackers Michael Scherer and Kentrell Brothers form a solid 1-2 punch inside. They’re not among the elite linebackers in the league, but they both cover a lot of ground and rarely miss tackles. Scherer is just a sophomore and has a chance to develop into an All-SEC player. He’s vey good at diagnosing plays and being in the right place at the right time. Defensive tackle Harold Brantley is developing into a big-play stopper along the interior, too. He’s more athletic than most 300-pounders at his position and he’ll come up with a couple big plays per game in the backfield.

Laing: Is there still a belief that this Missouri team can win the SEC East?

Matter: Mathematically, they’re very much alive in the East, but there’s not much talk among the players or coaches about winning the division. They’re more focused on fixing the problems that led to last week’s loss and moving on to Florida. Last year’s Missouri team was very good at taking one game at time and never getting lost in the big picture. That team set a great example on how to focus from week to week. This team’s biggest mistake would be to get wrapped up in trying to defend its division title.

Laing: With Maty Mauk’s recent struggles, fans have been calling for more time for backup quarterback Eddie Printz. Is there any real consideration by the coaching staff to give Printz more playing time?

Matter: Not publicly. Pinkel has said Mauk has his 100-percent support. In 14 years at Mizzou, he’s never benched a starter for performance, except against Kentucky in 2012 when he pulled Corbin Berkstresser for James Franklin, who was actually the team’s starter but coming off an injury. Otherwise, he’s never gone to the backup unless an injury factored into the decision.

Laing: Florida’s passing attack hasn’t been very explosive, but wide receiver Demarcus Robinson has been a bright spot. How do you see Missouri attempting to defend him on Saturday or do the Gators have a big advantage on the outside?

Matter: Missouri’s pass defense has been OK — not outstanding, not terrible. Missouri gives receivers a cushion off the line of scrimmage and plays its safeties deep to prevent big plays. For the most part, that’s been a successful approach. They force teams to manufacture long drives to score hoping to produce a drive-changing sack or takeaway along the way. Missouri assigns its corners to the right and left sides, meaning they won’t defend Robinson with one particular cornerback.

Laing: How do you see Saturday’s game playing out? Can Missouri bounce back quick enough to take down the Gators?

Matter: I think Saturday’s game looks a lot like Missouri’s last trip Florida, a 14-7 Gators win. Neither team is good offensively. Defenses are solid but not spectacular. Both teams have strong special teams that will dictate field position. The differences will come down to which quarterback makes the fewest mistakes. Florida wins by less than a touchdown in a low scoring game.