Coming off its dominant win over Tennessee last week, the Missouri Tigers are 8-2 and ranked No. 9 in the most recent CFP Top 25 poll. (Photo: Terrance Williams)

Mizzou Football – Gameday Info
Game No. 11 – Florida (5-5, 3-4) at #9 Missouri (8-2, 4-2)
Date/Time – November 18, 2023 – 6:30 pm
Location – Faurot Field — Columbia, MO
Broadcast – ESPN
Live Stats – Mizzou Sidearm Stats

Cedric Williams
Senior Editor

COLUMBIA, MO — Fresh off of what may have been its most impressive win of the season, a 36-7 drubbing on then-No. 17 Tennessee, the now No. 9-ranked University of Missouri football team will host its final home game of the 2023 season, Saturday afternoon.

It’ll be Senior Day for the Tigers, an always emotional day, as fans and coaches get to say goodbye to players who’ll be graduating in the spring. Missouri has at least 28 players that’ll be playing their final game at Faurot Field.

“We want to give our seniors the day they deserve,” head coach Eli Drinkwitz said. “We want to say thank you and congratulations to all of them. We want to send them out the right way.”

That’ll be before the game. But once all the hugs and tears subside, Missouri is going to have a pretty important ballgame to play.

The 8-2 Tigers will be hosting 5-5 Florida and both teams will have major goals to play for.

Mizzou, which moved up from No. 14 to No. 9 in the most recent College Football Playoff rankings, is trying to reach 10 wins for the first time since 2013 and in doing so, would put itself in prime position to be one of the New Year’s Six bowl teams and earn the Tigers a trip to either the Cotton Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, Orange Bowl, or Peach Bowl.

Florida is still trying to get bowl eligible. The Gators need one more win, and next week they play No. 4-ranked archrival Florida State.

That will be Florida’s toughest game of the year and a matchup that Florida State will probably be favored in by at least two touchdowns. So if the Gators are going to get that sixth win, their best shot might be Saturday night at Missouri.

Both teams will have a whole lot on the line on what should be a blistery cold, November night in CoMo.

Players to Watch: Last week, Missouri running back Cody Schrader had one of the greatest games in SEC history. He was the first player ever to have over 200 yards rushing and 100 yards receiving in the same game.

He’ll be looking to do similar things this week against a Florida team that has struggled on defense all year. Last week, the Gators allowed LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels to become the first player in FBS history to throw for over 350 yards and rush for over 200 yards in a single game.

It was a performance that earned Daniels SEC Offensive Player of the Week honors and may have vaulted him to the top of the Heisman Trophy race.

If Schrader, the SEC leader in rushing (1,124 yards and 11 touchdowns), doesn’t dominate like he did last week, Mizzou will likely turn to its own QB, Brady Cook and his crew of talented wide receivers, led by Luther Burder, Theo Wease, and Mookie Cooper to put up the numbers.

The Mizzou defense has been stout lately as well, led by defensive linemen Darius Robinson and Johnny Walker, Jr., and the secondary crew of Kris Abrams-Draine, Ennis Rakestraw, Daylan Carnell, and Joseph Charleston. Carnell had a pick-six in the Tigers’ win over Tennessee last week.

Florida QB Graham Mertz is fifth in the conference, right behind Mizzou’s Cook, in passing yards (2,720) and tied for second with 18 touchdown passes. Receivers Ricky Pearsall (62 catches or 876 yards and seven touchdowns) and Eugene Wilson III (51-479 and five touchdowns) have been one of the most productive pass-catching duos in the SEC this season.

Up Next: Mizzou will close out its regular season with its annual Borderline Rivalry Game against Arkansas next week. The Tigers and Razorbacks will play in Fayetteville, next Friday. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m., with the game being televised live on CBS.

When Missouri Has the Ball

When Florida Has the Ball

2023 Missouri Tigers Football Remaining Schedule

Date	Time	At	Opponent	Location	TV
November 18, 2023 (Saturday)	6:30 PM	Home	Florida	Faurot Field
November 24, 2023 (Friday)	3:00 PM	Away	Arkansas	Fayetteville, Ark.