Florida knocked off two-time defending SEC East champion Missouri 21-3 Saturday to hold onto sole possession of first place in the division. The Gators took a 14-3 lead in the first quarter, but the offense struggled after Missouri made adjustments. Cornerback Jalen Tabor provided the only second-half score with an interception returned for a touchdown.

5 TAKEAWAYS

  • Letdown avoided: Florida could have approached Missouri hung over from beating Ole Miss last week and looking ahead to LSU next week. It wasn’t UF’s sexiest win, but the 21-3 victory did not lack focus or effort.
  • Shades of Kentucky: Similar to the Gators’ 14-9 win at Kentucky, Florida jumped to an early lead and played a very conservative second half. The coaches are placing a premium on protecting the football on the road.
  • No big plays on offense: Missouri made sure there were no bombs or breakaway plays for UF, with the longest pass going for 25 yards to WR Demarcus Robinson and the longest run being a gain of 19 yards by RB Kelvin Taylor.
  • Grier’s youth showed: Redshirt freshman QB Will Grier looked more like a first-year quarterback on Saturday (20-of-33, 208 yards) than in his “flu game” against the Rebels (24-of-29, 271 yards, 4 TDs). The questionable decisions, particularly with when to scramble and when to throw it away, are to be expected of a rookie signal caller and are part of the maturation process.
  • Two-game lead: All the SEC East teams are beating up on each other, except for Florida. With wins over Kentucky, Tennessee and Missouri, the Gators (6-0, 4-0 SEC) have three head-to-head tiebreakers in the division and a virtual two-game advantage over second-place UK (4-1, 2-1 SEC).

REPORT CARD

Offense: C – The offense started strong with two first-quarter touchdowns, but was shut out the rest of the night. The Tigers have a top defense, but one quarter of scoring is unlikely to lead to many Florida victories in the coming weeks.

Defense: A+ – Missouri was held to three points and never got into an extended offensive rhythm running or passing. The defensive line brought consistent pressure and the secondary provided two turnovers (even six points courtesy of Tabor).

Special Teams: D – Special teams were a mess: 0-for-1 field goals, a kickoff out of bounds and poor decision making on kickoff returns. There was also that head-scratching unproductive fake field goal.

Coaching: B – Florida coach Jim McElwain deserves credit for having the team focused to take on unranked Missouri on the road considering the increased media attention his team received after a 5-0 start. The offensive play calls were very conservative and it felt like McElwain and offensive Doug Nussmeier were focusing on playing not to lose by managing the clock and field position in the second half.

Overall: B – Before kickoff, ESPN analyst Jesse Palmer said it would come down to if the Gators brought their A-game or their D-game. This clearly wasn’t Florida’s A-game, but the overall defensive performance, highlighted by winning the turnover battle 2-0, makes this much better than a D-game.

GAME PLAN

In the first quarter, Florida’s offense looked like it was picking up right where it left off against Mississippi, gaining yards by balancing the pass and the run. The Tigers seemingly made better adjustments, as the Gators were shut out the final three quarters. Defensive coordinator Geoff Collins brought an aggressive pass rush, daring Missouri freshman QB Drew Lock to challenge UF’s secondary. That strategy worked, as the Missouri offense struggled once the Florida secondary got it together after the opening-drive field goal.

GAME BALLS

  • RB Kelvin Taylor: For the second consecutive week, Taylor logged more than 25 carries (27 vs. Ole Miss, 28 vs. Missouri). The Gators’ workhorse back scored the offense’s two touchdowns as part of a 99-yard night.
  • CB Jalen Tabor: Tabor sealed the victory with his third-quarter interception return for a touchdown. He became the first player with multiple pick-sixes since Brandon Spikes in 2009.
  • S Marcus Maye: Maye tied LB Antonio Morrison for most tackles (6) and also had an interception and a pass breakup.

INJURY UPDATE

  • LB Alex Anzalone (shoulder), K Austin Hardin (quad), LB Jeremi Powell (foot) and RB Case Harrison (thumb) missed Saturday’s game.
  • LB Antonio Morrison limped off the field, but his injury did not look serious.
  • DT Caleb Brantley jogged off the field after going down on one play.