Sports · NEWS EXPLAINER
Missouri beats Florida 45–17 behind Roberts’ 211 yards and a 35-point run
Austin Simmons passed for 340 yards as Missouri held Jadan Baugh to 13 rushing yards and ended a nine-game losing streak against ranked opponents.
No. 25 Missouri broke open a tied game with 35 unanswered points and beat No. 8 Florida 45–17 on Saturday, October 3, in Columbia. Jamal Roberts rushed for 211 yards and three touchdowns, while Austin Simmons supplied 340 passing yards and two scores. The Homecoming win gave Missouri its first SEC victory of the season and handed Florida its first loss.
The separation began before halftime
Florida drew level at 10–10 when Aaron Philo found Dallas Wilson for a 12-yard touchdown in the second quarter. Missouri answered with Simmons’ 31-yard scoring pass to Caleb Goodie, then forced a quick punt. With 1:33 left in the half, the Tigers regained possession and moved into range for Blake Craig’s 50-yard field goal as time expired.
That closing sequence made it 20–10 at halftime. Missouri received the second-half kickoff and drove for Roberts’ five-yard touchdown, then added Craig’s 52-yard field goal. By the end of the third quarter, the lead was 30–10. The official scoring record shows the decisive run included field goals as well as touchdowns.
Roberts supplied the long-range finish
Roberts accounted for 211 of Missouri’s 220 net rushing yards on 24 carries. A 77-yard run late in the third quarter put the Tigers close to the goal line; he finished that possession with a one-yard touchdown on the opening play of the fourth. A two-point conversion stretched the lead to 38–10.
After another Florida punt, Roberts broke an 80-yard touchdown run on the first play of Missouri’s next possession. The score reached 45–10 with 13:33 remaining. Florida’s late touchdown, with 47 seconds left, produced the final margin, but the visitors had gone without a point throughout Missouri’s six-possession scoring streak.
Simmons gave Missouri more than a rushing threat
Simmons finished 23 of 30 for 340 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. His first scoring pass went 47 yards to Donovan Olugbode, and the second went to Goodie before halftime. Cayden Lee led Missouri’s receivers with eight catches for 110 yards; Olugbode added six for 94.
The final team statistics give Missouri 560 yards of offense: 340 through the air and 220 on the ground. Florida finished with 325. Those totals reflect how Missouri built the lead through the passing game before Roberts’ two long runs widened it in the second half.
Florida’s running game hit a wall
Baugh entered the game with 11 rushing touchdowns over his first four appearances, but Missouri held him to 13 yards on 12 attempts. His first carry gained 12 yards; the next 11 produced just one net yard. Florida’s entire rushing attack managed 42 yards on 25 attempts.
Missouri also recorded 11 tackles for loss and three sacks. Philo passed for 197 yards and a touchdown, but the Gators could not sustain enough offense while the Tigers pulled away. Florida’s last possession accounted for 94 of its 325 yards, according to Missouri’s final game report.
What the result changes next
Both teams leave the game at 4–1 overall. Missouri is 1–1 in the SEC, and Florida is 2–1. The Tigers ended a nine-game losing streak against ranked opponents. For the Gators, the defeat followed a 52–28 win over Ole Miss that had helped lift them into the top 10.
Missouri next hosts Texas A&M on October 10, while Florida faces South Carolina. Fans should check the schools’ current game listings for kickoff times and television assignments. The rankings used here describe the teams entering Saturday’s matchup; the result itself does not establish their positions in the next poll.
