Florida Gators vs Missouri Tigers Match Player Stats On Oct 10, 2015

The Sports Xchange
Oct 10, 2015

COLUMBIA, Mo. - No. 11 Florida scored touchdowns on two of its first three drives.

That was all the Gators (6-0, 3-0) would need in a 21-3 win over Missouri (4-2, 1-2) in SEC play on Saturday. For good measure, Florida's defense added the final points of the night on a 40-yard touchdown return by Jalen Tabor after an interception of Missouri quarterback Drew Lock.

Those points came with 6:25 left in the third quarter, extending a two-possession lead to three in a game that felt over much earlier. Florida's defense stymied Missouri's offense all night, forcing the Tigers to go 1-14 on third downs and 0-1 on fourth.

Lock, starting his second game for the Tigers in place of suspended starter Maty Mauk, completed 16 of 39 passes for 151 yards and two interceptions. Florida held Missouri's offense to 235 total yards on 61 plays and made the Tigers one-dimensional.

At one point, Missouri had attempted 33 pass plays to just 14 designed runs. The Gators' defense - second in the SEC in sacks entering Saturday - was credited with three sacks, but hurried Lock five more times and hit him often throughout the game.

After torching Mississippi for four touchdowns a week ago, Florida quarterback Will Grier proved to be more game manager than game changer against a Missouri defense that sacked him five times. Grier completed 20 of 33 attempts for 208 yards,

Florida's offense leaned heavily on running back Kelvin Taylor, who carried the ball 27 times for 99 yards and both of Florida's two offensive touchdowns, each coming on 1-yard runs in the first quarter.

After steamrolling then third-ranked Ole Miss a week ago, Florida's offense came out clicking against Missouri.

Redshirt freshman quarterback Will Grier led Florida to touchdowns on two of its first three drives of the game, both drives ending in scoring runs by Taylor. The drives went 75 and 82 yards, respectively, to help cap a first-half in which the Gators held the ball for 19:31.

Grier completed 15 of 22 passes in the first half for 154 yards. However, with Missouri set to punt the ball back to Florida with just under two minutes left before halftime, Florida coach Jim McElwain elected not to call a timeout and allowed 40 seconds to run off the clock. The Gators' ensuring drive began with 1:16 left and ended on a 20-yard pass from Grier to DeMarcus Robinson to Missouri's 17 as time expired.

Missouri's lone points came on a 21-yard field goal on its opening drive, one that stalled at Florida's 3-yard line. The Gators' defense took advantage of Lock and a porous offensive line, sacking him twice and hurrying him three more times.

NOTES: Florida K Austin Hardin did not make the trip to Columbia for Saturday's game. He has missed the Gators' last three games. ... Missouri RT Nate Crawford (high-ankle sprain) was a game-time scratch. He injured his ankle against Kentucky and has missed the last two games. ... Missouri celebrated its 104th homecoming game on Saturday.