Final: Missouri Tigers down Florida Gators in OT
COLUMBIA, Mo. — Connor Bazelak threw a 2-point conversion pass to Daniel Parker Jr. to lift Missouri to a 24-23 overtime victory over Florida on Saturday.
The Tigers (6-5, 3-4 Southeastern Conference) drew within a point on Tyler Badie’s 13-yard touchdown run, and Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz elected to go for 2 rather than send the game to a second overtime with a PAT kick. Parker, a tight end, slipped undetected into the left side of the end zone and caught the lobbed pass.
Badie rushed 27 times for 146 yards. Bazelak completed 15 of 26 passes for 165 yards and a touchdown.
Florida (5-6, 2-6 SEC) got the ball first in overtime, and Emory Jones caught a 6-yard touchdown pass from wide receiver Trent Whittemore on a trick play to give the Gators a brief lead. Jones completed 20 of 32 passes for 261 yards and a touchdown.
Missouri entered the game with the nation’s 118th-ranked defense, and Florida had yielded 92 points in its last two games. No matter — the defenses dominated in a stingy battle of field position and field goals.
Missouri led 9-6 at halftime on three Harrison Mevis field goals.
Florida finally broke the touchdown drought on its first drive of the second half. Jones hit Jacob Copeland on a 49-yard pass to set up a Dameon Pierce 2-yard scoring run. Missouri answered early in the fourth quarter when Bazelak connected with tight end Niko Hea on a 41-yard touchdown pass.
Missouri missed a chance to take the lead with 1:04 left in regulation when Mevis — who had made 17 of 18 field-goal attempts this season — pushed a 46-yarder wide right. Florida coach Dan Mullen elected to run out the clock and take his chances in overtime rather than throw the ball.
THE TAKEAWAY
Florida: With the Gators’ fourth straight SEC loss, the speculation about coach Dan Mullen’s job security will grow even louder. Florida is 2-9 in its last 11 games against Power 5 opponents.
Missouri: The Tigers secured bowl eligibility for the second time in Eli Drinkwitz’s two-year tenure as coach. Missouri had higher hopes than a six-win season, but after losing its first three SEC games, Drinkwitz deserves credit for keeping the team together and salvaging the season.
UP NEXT
Florida: The Gators finish the regular season at home against Florida State on Nov. 27.
Missouri: The Tigers play at Arkansas on Friday in their regular-season finale.
Missouri 24, Florida 23, OT
Florida 3 3 7 3 7 — 23
Missouri 3 6 0 7 8 — 24
First Quarter
FLA_FG Howard 42, 9:49.
MIZZ_FG Mevis 39, 2:40.
Second Quarter
FLA_FG Howard 26, 9:35.
MIZZ_FG Mevis 46, 6:56.
MIZZ_FG Mevis 31, 1:34.
Third Quarter
FLA_Pierce 2 run (Howard kick), 12:52.
Fourth Quarter
MIZZ_Hea 41 pass from Bazelak (Mevis kick), 11:53.
FLA_FG Howard 33, 8:30.
First Overtime
FLA_E.Jones 6 pass from Whittemore (Howard kick), :00.
MIZZ_Badie 13 run (Parker pass from Bazelak), :00.
FLA MIZZ
First downs 17 14
Total Net Yards 360 286
Rushes-yards 38-93 36-121
Passing 267 165
Punt Returns 4-14 1-5
Kickoff Returns 0-0 2-54
Interceptions Ret. 0-0 0-0
Comp-Att-Int 21-33-0 15-25-0
Sacked-Yards Lost 2-18 6-28
Punts 8-38.6 7-39.7
Fumbles-Lost 2-0 0-0
Penalties-Yards 9-80 4-27
Time of Possession 32:07 27:53
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING_Florida, Jones 17-45, Wright 8-22, Davis 6-19, Pierce 7-7. Missouri, Badie 27-146, (Team) 1-(minus 1), Young 1-(minus 5), Bazelak 7-(minus 19).
PASSING_Florida, Jones 20-32-0-261, Whittemore 1-1-0-6. Missouri, Bazelak 15-25-0-165.
RECEIVING_Florida, Copeland 8-102, Davis 4-46, Gamble 3-33, Shorter 2-22, Henderson 2-13, Whittemore 1-45, Jones 1-6. Missouri, Hea 3-68, Banister 3-15, Badie 3-(minus 2), Dove 2-72, D.Lovett 2-2, Chism 1-7, Smith 1-3.
MISSED FIELD GOALS_Missouri, Mevis 46.
More:Missouri game is Florida's final chance at SEC road win this season
More:Whitley: Mullen's fate is in the players' hands
Florida Gators football & sports news | Gators Sports gatorsports.com
3:48 p.m. | UF to host FSU coming in with back-to-back wins
Florida will close the regular season next Saturday against FSU, which defeated Boston College 26-23 on Saturday to improve to 5-6. Florida State opened the season with four consecutive losses before recovering to win three in a row. Then came two more losses before the Seminoles rallied from an eight-point deficit in the final five minutes to beat Miami 31-28 last week.
The Seminoles’ offense was extremely efficient again, going 4 for 4 in the red zone, raising their total to 29 consecutive conversions. It’s their best streak since 31 straight during a span covering the 2016-17 seasons.
FIRST QUARTER
UF offensive lineman Ethan White (ankle) is dressed and on the sideline. He has missed the last three games. Right guard Richie Leonard is making his first career start.
4:08 p.m. | Chris Howard gives Gators lead
Howard hits a 42-yard field goal to cap the game's opening drive for Florida.
4:25 p.m. | Missouri ties it
Harrison Mevis is good from 40 yards for a 3-3 game with 2:40 left in first quarter.
4:35 p.m. | Gators' first-quarter analysis
What went right: Emory Jones completed 5-of-7 passes for 40 yards while adding 22 yards on the ground in the first quarter. After UF struck first, Florida’s defense forced a punt on Missouri’s opening drive to keep the Tigers from answering – a positive sign from a team that was gashed by an FCS program just a week prior.
What went wrong: A botched handoff on 3rd-and-3 forced the Gators to settle for a 42-yard field goal on the opening drive. On Florida’s second drive, the Gators couldn’t get out of their own end zone, and Jeremy Crawshaw’s punt sailed just 12 yards, giving the Tigers the ball deep in UF territory. To top it off, Florida opted to run it on 3rd-and-10 at the Missouri 38-yard line on the third possession of the first quarter, but Nay'Quan Wright was tripped up near the line of scrimmage, and the Gators had to punt it away rather than attempt another field goal.
Play of the quarter: It’s a tie between Florida’s two consequential miscues — the fumble that led to Florida’s field goal, and the errant punt which set up the Tigers’ score.
Trending: With the score tied, the Gators look to punt it away as the second quarter commences.
— Graham Hall
Florida 3
Missouri 3
SECOND QUARTER
4:52 p.m. | Gators take lead
The Gators settle for a 26-yard field goal by Howard for a 6-3 lead at the 9:35 mark. The Gators had a first-and-goal inside the Missouri five.
5 p.m. | Mevis ties it for Missouri
Mevis kicks a 46-yard field goal to tie the game at 6-6 at the 6:56 mark.
5:21 P.M. | Missouri takes its first lead
Mevis with 31-yard field goal with 1:34 remaining in the quarter.
5:29 p.m. | Gators' 2nd-quarter analysis
What went right: Chris Howard notched another field goal to cap UF’s third drive, the Gators’ seventh successful field-goal attempt of the season. And the Gators racked up 87 passing yards and held Missouri to just a field goal – it may sound like a moral victory of sorts, but it’s a far more manageable deficit than Florida faced against Samford.
What went wrong: The Gators had a pair of false-start penalties in the second quarter, along with an offsides call and a personal foul, and Missouri took a 9-6 lead into halftime after another field goal by Harrison Mevis. But more concerning are the injuries to starters Jacob Copeland and Richard Gouraige, two experienced Gators who have persevered throughout a difficult season. Copeland came back before the break.
Play of the quarter: Another field goal by the Tigers is the difference, as the Gators trail at halftime once again.
Trending: Florida’s offense has found some success against Mizzou’s defense, but it hasn’t resulted in a touchdown – and the Tigers have a chance to expand the lead even further when they get the ball to begin the second half.
— Graham Hall
Florida 3 3
Missouri 3 6
THIRD QUARTER
5:56 p.m. | Gators score TD
Dameon Pierce scores from two yards out. Jones passed to Trent Whittemore for 45 yards to set up the score
Announced attendance: 47,818.
6:34 p.m. | Gators' 3rd-quarter analysis
What went right: Following Trent Whittemore’s 45-yard catch, Dameon Pierce found the end zone from two yards out to give the Gators the 13-9 lead following Howard’s extra point; it marked Pierce’s 11th rushing touchdown of the season.
What went wrong: Florida’s penalty issues continued in the third quarter as UF was flagged for three penalties, though the defense consistently got off the field against the Tigers to keep the lead intact.
Play of the quarter: Whittemore’s field-flipping grab set up the first touchdown of the day and restored Florida’s lead.
Trending: The Gators are looking for a stop once again as Missouri has the ball at midfield following a pair of lengthy runs by standout Tyler Badie.
— Graham Hall
Florida 3 3 7
Missouri 3 6 0
FOURTH QUARTER
6:44 p.m. | Missouri takes lead
Tigers reclaim the lead on a 41-yard touchdown catch by Niko Hea from QB Connor Bazelak.
6:58 p.m. | Gators, Tigers in a tie
Howard's 33-yard field goal with 8:30 remaining ties the game at 16-all.
7:24 p.m. | Gators, Tigers in OT
:25 p.m. | Gators' 4th-quarter analysis
What went right: Howard added his third field goal of the game to tie the game, but not much else went to plan for the Gators – fortunately for Florida, Missouri’s Mevis couldn’t clinch the victory for the Tigers, setting up overtime.
What went wrong: Missouri struck first in the fourth quarter and reclaimed the lead on junior Niko Hea’s 41-yard catch down the right sideline. Florida mustered just 53 yards of offense in the fourth period. With the game hanging in the balance, the Gators went three-and-out on their final two drives of regulation.
Play of the quarter: Howard’s field-goal didn’t seem like a win at the time, but it ended up being enough to extend the contest and give the Gators a shot at escaping with the victory in Columbia.
— Graham Hall
OVERTIME
Whittemore to Jones for TD for Gators
Badie scores TD for Missouri. Then Tigers win it with 2-point conversion to tight end
7:42 p.m. | Tigers defeat Gators
What went right: Florida got creative on 3rd-and-1, and Trent Whittemore found Emory Jones from six yards out to take a 23-16 lead to open overtime.
What went wrong: Tyler Badie needed just two plays to get 25 yards and answer back against Florida’s defense, giving him 146 rushing yards on the game. Missouri answered Florida’s trickery with some of their own and went for two, and Connor Bazelak found Daniel Parker uncovered at the goal line to give the Tigers their sixth victory against the Gators in 11 tries.
Play of the quarter: It’s clearly the decisive two-point conversion attempt here from Bazelak to Parker.
— Graham Hall
Florida 3 3 7 3 7 — 23
Missouri 3 6 0 7 8 — 24