CBS Sports analyst names Mizzou biggest winner of Week 5: ‘They made Florida look fraudulent’
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CBS Sports analyst Richard Johnson absolutely loved what he saw from Mizzou on Saturday afternoon as the Tigers took apart SEC rival Florida in Columbia.
The final score was 45-17, and that was part of the point for Johnson, because Mizzou turned what was supposed to be a competitive matchup into a non-competitive matchup. For that reason, not only did the Tigers win the game, but Johnson named Mizzou as his biggest winner of a packed Week 5 in college football.
Besides the Tigers’ defense holding the potent Gators to just 17 points on the day, as UF gained only 325 total yards and was held to 42 yards rushing, it was also Mizzou’s offense that showed up and showed out. Quarterback Austin Simmons played a stellar game, going 23 of 30 for 340 yards passing with 2 touchdowns and 0 interceptions.
Mizzou rolled up 560 total yards on the afternoon, and it improved to 4-1 overall while evening its SEC record at 1-1. As a reward for the big win, the Tigers soared up the AP rankings, going from No. 25 to No. 14 on Sunday. Johnson had nothing but praise late Saturday night for Mizzou’s incredible effort.
“Missouri ran over, around and through Florida (on Saturday),” Johnson said. “They made Florida look fraudulent. I thought Austin Simmons was incredible today. The guy could not miss — incredible ball placement. And they really exposed some things with Florida on the back end on defense. I thought Missouri up front on their defense played really well as well.”
Mizzou’s big Saturday in Columbia improved the Tigers’ record to 4-1, as Mizzou tries to keep stacking wins in 2026. Here is what the Kalshi market is currently saying about the Tigers’ potential victory total when the dust settles on this season:
Cory Nightingale, a former sportswriter and sports editor at the Miami Herald and Palm Beach Post, is a South Florida-based freelance writer who covers Alabama for SaturdayDownSouth.com.
