While the Missouri Tigers took one step closer to bowl eligibility, the Florida Gators are one game closer to ending a disastrous season.

Larry Rountree III rushed for 83 yards and a career-high three touchdowns to lead the Tigers to a dominating 45-16 win over Florida in Randy Shannon’s first game as the Gators’ interim head coach.

Shannon took over the reins when Jim McElwain was fired Sunday, handing off defensive coordinator duties to Chris Rumph. None of that mattered to Missouri, which won its third straight game to improve to 4-5 and earn its first conference win of the season.

Rountree made the game 14-0 with a 2-yard TD run in the second quarter, capping a 98-yard drive that took 14 plays. Quarterback Drew Lock connected with Emanuel Hall for a 36-yard play on a 1st-and-25 to get the drive into Gators territory.

Florida (3-6) responded with its best drive of the game, going 68 yards in six plays. Quarterback Malik Zaire, starting for the first time this season, hit a 38-yard pass to Dre Massey, but the drive stalled as the Missouri 21 and the Gators had to settle for a 38-yard field goal from Eddy Pineiro.

Unfortunately for Florida, field goals weren’t going to do it Saturday, as Missouri kept punching the ball into the end zone.

Lock stayed on target in the Tigers’ next drive, hitting J’Mon Moore for a 38-yard pass to the Gators’ 17 and finding Ish Witter two plays later for a 15-yard touchdown to give Missouri a 21-3 lead.

After Zaire threw an interception, the Tigers struck again with Rountree’s second touchdown, a 21-yarder to give Missouri a 28-3 lead.

Florida added a second field from Pineiro, a 36-yarder, to close out the half at 28-6.

The Gators tried to make a game of it in the second half and opened the third quarter with a solid drive that got to the Missouri 2. But Lamical Perine was stuffed on first down and Mark Thompson lost five yards on second down. The Gators were flagged for a false start to make it 3rd-and-goal from the 11, and Zaire could not get to the end zone on a scramble, leading to Pineiro’s third field goal.

Missouri shut the door on any potential comeback with an five-play, 82-yard drive in the third quarter. Lock and Hall connected again for a big play – a 49-yard pass to give Missouri a first-and-goal at the 1. Rountree took over from there, and his third touchdown made the score 35-9.

Lock added a third touchdown pass – a 4-yarder to Moore – early in the fourth quarter. Lock finished 15-for-20 for 228 yards.

Feleipe Franks, removed from the starting quarterback position, led the Gators to a late touchdown as both teams began to play their backups. Franks went 7-of-10 for 98 yards and a touchdown. Zaire was 13-of-19 for 158 yards with one interception.

The Tigers finish the season with a home game against Tennessee and road games against Vanderbilt and Kentucky, needing to win two of three to gain bowl eligibility.

Florida will need to beat South Carolina, UAB and Florida State to get to six wins.