Roberts runs for 211 yards as Missouri beats Florida 45–17

Jamal Roberts scored three rushing touchdowns and Austin Simmons threw for 340 yards as Missouri beat Florida 45–17 Saturday in Columbia. The Tigers broke open a competitive second quarter with 35 consecutive points, combining explosive offense with a defense that held the Gators to 42 rushing yards.

Roberts finished with 211 yards on 24 carries. His five-yard touchdown early in the third quarter stretched Missouri's halftime lead to 27–10, and his two fourth-quarter scores removed any remaining doubt. The last was an 80-yard run with 13:33 left, immediately after another Missouri touchdown had already made the margin substantial.

Simmons completed 23 of 30 passes with two touchdowns and no interceptions. Missouri accumulated 560 total yards, including 220 rushing, and averaged 11.3 yards per pass attempt. Cayden Lee caught eight passes for 110 yards, Donovan Olugbode had six catches for 94 and Caleb Goodie Sr. added 67 yards on two receptions.

Florida scored first on Patrick Durkin's 20-yard field goal. Missouri tied it with Blake Craig's 32-yard kick before Simmons found Olugbode for a 47-yard touchdown in the second quarter. The Gators answered with Aaron Philo's 12-yard scoring pass to Dallas Wilson, briefly tying the game at 10.

That response was Florida's last score until the closing minute. Simmons found Goodie for a 31-yard touchdown, and Craig added a 50-yard field goal as the first half expired. Missouri then scored the first 25 points after halftime, with Craig also making a 52-yard field goal between Roberts' touchdowns.

Florida's official game report identified the contrast in the running game as a central problem. Jadan Baugh finished with 13 yards on 12 carries. London Montgomery's 17-yard run was Florida's largest individual rushing total, and the team averaged 1.7 yards per attempt. Missouri's defense made a normally important part of the Gators' offense difficult to sustain.

Philo completed 21 of 34 passes for 197 yards and one touchdown. Tramell Jones Jr. later went five-for-five for 86 yards, including a 42-yard touchdown to TJ Abrams with 47 seconds remaining. Wilson led Florida with four receptions for 66 yards; Abrams caught three for 55.

Neither team committed a turnover. Missouri's margin therefore came through its offensive production and defensive stops, with the Tigers converting seven of 13 third downs while Florida went six of 16 and failed its only fourth-down attempt. The Gators also incurred eight penalties for 80 yards. Missouri gained 235 more total yards, and Roberts' long touchdown supplied the clearest example of how quickly that advantage could become points.