SETTING THE SCENE: THE BIRTHPLACE OF HOMECOMING
The 25th-ranked Mizzou football team (3-1, 0-1 SEC) is set to welcome No. 8 Florida to COMO - the birthplace of homecoming - for the 115th annual homecoming game on Saturday, October 3 (2:30 p.m. CT / ABC). The Tigers suffered their first defeat of the season in Starkville last time out to then 24th-ranked Mississippi State, 31-24, in a back-and-forth contest.
THE COACHES
Already No. 4 on Mizzou's all-time wins list, Eli Drinkwitz is in his seventh season as Mizzou’s head coach and enters Saturday with a 49-30 mark (61-31 overall). The Alma, Arkansas, native has led the Tigers to bowl eligibility in each of his first six seasons in Columbia, making him the only MU head coach in program history to achieve that feat. Prior to taking the Mizzou job, Drinkwitz was 12-1 in his lone season as head coach at Appalachian State (2019). Drinkwitz boasts the best home winning percentage (min. four seasons) in program history at .795 and is 35-9 on Faurot Field during his tenure. Since the start of 2023, Drinkwitz and the Tigers have gone 32-11 (.744) - tied for 12th-best nationally over that stretch.
Florida head coach Jon Sumrall is in his first season with the Gators, leading UF to a 4-0 start and a No. 8 national ranking. Sumrall arrived in Gainesville following two seasons at Tulane, where he guided the Green Wave to consecutive American Athletic Conference Championship Game appearances, the 2025 AAC title and a berth in the College Football Playoff. Prior to Tulane, Sumrall posted a 23-4 record in two seasons at Troy, winning back-to-back Sun Belt championships. He owns a 47-12 career record as a head coach, with additional coaching stops at Kentucky, Ole Miss, Troy, Tulane, San Diego and Tulane.
DAEDEN HOPKINS NAMED SEC DEFENSIVE LINEMAN OF THE WEEK
Mizzou sophomore EDGE rusher Daeden Hopkins was named Southeastern Conference Defensive Lineman of the Week on Monday. Hopkins, a sophomore from Hermann, Missouri, lived in the backfield versus the No. 24 Bulldogs, racking up 3.5 sacks - a total that ranks second all-time for a single game in Mizzou history. He grew his season sack total to 6.0 to rank third nationally and second in the SEC. Hopkins leads the nation among FBS defenders with at least 100 pass-rush snaps with a PFF pass-rushing grade of 90.8, a 24.5 percent pass-rush win rate and a 19.6 percent pressure rate. It marks the second SEC weekly honor of the season for Hopkins after previously being named co-SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week on Sept. 14.
FIRST & TEN: STORYLINES
-Saturday's game versus Florida marks yet another sellout for the Tigers, extending MU's program-record sellout streak to 23 games.
- The Tigers are 32-11 since the start of 2023 (.744) - tied for 12th-best nationally over that stretch by winning percentage.
- Mizzou has won 13 consecutive home night games, dating back to a 45-14 victory over New Mexico State on Nov. 19, 2022. The Tigers’ last home loss under the lights came against No. 1 Georgia, a 26-22 setback on Oct. 1, 2022.
- Mizzou checks in at No. 25 in the latest editions of the AP and Coaches polls (Sept. 27). The Tigers entered the season ranked 25th in each of the major polls to mark the second time in the past three seasons appearing in both preseason top 25 polls.
- WR Cayden Lee owns Mizzou’s top PFF offensive grade at 87.8, while his 88.5 receiving grade ranks sixth among FBS wide receivers with at least 25 targets and leads the SEC.
- Lee and fellow WR Donovan Olugbode have a combined 725 yards - good for No. 5 nationally as a duo. The tandem also leads the country in combined receiving touchdowns (9) among duos.
SCOUTING FLORIDA
- The Gators are off to a 4-0 start to their 2026 season, opening the year with home victories over Florida Atlantic (66-21) and Campbell (52-3) before earning SEC wins over Auburn (44-39) and No. 4 Ole Miss (52-28) last time out.
- Florida rushed for 302 yards and six touchdowns in its victory over Ole Miss, pulling away with 35 second-half points to secure its first top-five victory since 2020.
- The Gators’ offense has been led by quarterback Aaron Philo, who has completed 72.4 percent of his passes for 917 yards and seven touchdowns while adding three scores on the ground.
- RB Jadan Baugh has provided a dominant presence out of the backfield, rushing for 600 yards and 11 touchdowns on 83 carries. Baugh is averaging 150.0 yards per game and 7.2 yards per attempt.
- Florida has scored 214 points through four games, averaging 53.5 points and 532.8 yards of total offense per contest. The Gators are averaging 7.6 yards per offensive play.
- Defensively, Florida has limited opponents to 103.0 rushing yards per game and 3.4 yards per carry while recording 12 sacks and forcing eight turnovers.
- The Gators have been especially effective in the red zone, scoring on 23 of their 24 opportunities with 20 TD.
AUSTIN POWER
- Quarterback Austin Simmons has earned an 82.5 overall offensive grade from PFF through his first four games as a Tiger, including an 83.0 passing grade.
- His 83.0 PFF passing grade ranks fourth among SEC quarterbacks with at least 100 dropbacks.
- Officially, Simmons has completed 70-of-107 passes for 947 yards, 11 touchdowns and no interceptions, producing a 65.4 completion percentage and a 173.7 passing efficiency rating.
- PFF has also credited Simmons with five big-time throws.
LEE-DING THE WAY
- Wide receiver Cayden Lee owns Mizzou’s top offensive grade through four games, receiving an 87.8 overall mark from PFF.
- Lee’s 88.5 receiving grade also leads the Tigers.
- Among FBS wide receivers with at least 25 targets, Lee’s 88.5 receiving grade ranks sixth nationally and leads the SEC.
- Officially, he has caught 27 passes for 412 yards and four touchdowns, averaging 15.3 yards per reception.
- PFF has charted Lee with 36 targets, 127 yards after the catch and no drops this season.
TWO FOR THE SHOW
- Wide receivers Cayden Lee and Donovan Olugbode have combined to form one of the Tigers’ most productive pass-catching tandems through four games.
- The duo has officially combined for 47 receptions, 725 yards and nine touchdowns, averaging 15.4 yards per catch.
- PFF has charted Lee and Olugbode with 66 total targets.
- Olugbode has caught 20 passes for 313 yards and a team-leading five touchdowns, complementing Lee’s 27 receptions for 412 yards and four scores.
MAKING CONTACT COUNT
- Running back Jamal Roberts has officially gained 395 yards and scored three touchdowns on 89 carries through four games.
- PFF has credited Roberts with 316 yards after contact, the sixth-most among FBS running backs and second-most in the SEC.
- His 15 forced missed tackles are tied for fifth among SEC backs, while averaging 3.4 yards after contact across its charted carry total.
- Fellow running back Xai'Shaun Edwards has added 114 yards and one touchdown on 26 official carries, earning a team-best 71.9 rushing grade from PFF.
PROTECTION PLAN
- Mizzou’s five starting offensive linemen have each earned a pass-blocking grade of at least 75.4 from PFF through four games.
- Cayden Green leads Mizzou’s primary offensive linemen with an 89.5 pass-blocking grade, followed by Dominick Giudice (84.9), Tristan Wilson (82.8), Curtis Peagler (78.1) and Luke Work (75.4).
- Among offensive linemen with at least 75 pass-blocking snaps, Green’s 89.5 grade ranks fifth among FBS tackles and second among SEC tackles.
- Giudice’s 84.9 mark ranks eighth among FBS centers and leads all SEC centers with the same minimum.
- Officially, Mizzou has allowed four sacks as a team. PFF has charged only two of those sacks to the Tigers’ five primary offensive linemen across 574 combined pass-blocking snaps.
- Green and Giudice are each yet to allow a sack or quarterback hit.
- Despite ranking fifth in pass protection, Work leads the group with an 83.7 overall offensive grade and an 81.8 run-blocking mark.
- As a unit, the Mizzou O-line has combined to allow just 11 total pressures (sacks, hits, hurries), the fewest in the SEC.
HOPKINS’ HAVOC
- EDGE rusher Daeden Hopkins owns Mizzou’s top defensive grade through four games, earning an 89.4 overall mark from PFF.
- Hopkins has been even better as a pass rusher, recording a 90.8 grade with 20 pressures on 102 pass-rushing snaps.
- Among FBS defenders with at least 100 pass-rushing snaps, Hopkins leads the nation in PFF pass-rushing grade (90.8), pass-rush win rate (24.5 percent) and pressure rate (19.6 percent).
- His 20 pressures rank second among all FBS defenders and lead the SEC.
- Hopkins has tallied 6.0 sacks, while PFF’s independent charting credits him with one quarterback hit and 11 hurries.
- His 24.5 percent pass-rush win rate and 19.6 percent pressure rate lead the Tigers, while his 20 pressures account for more than one-quarter of Mizzou’s PFF-charted team total of 73.
PRESSURE IN NUMBERS
- According to PFF, four Tigers have accounted for 44 of Mizzou’s 73 total pressures through four games.
- In addition to Daeden Hopkins’ team-leading 20 pressures, Donta Simpson, Langden Kitchen and Darris Smith have each recorded eight.
- Simpson owns an 85.4 pass-rushing grade, with PFF crediting him with five hurries.
- In addition, Simpson has tallied 2.0 sacks.
- Kitchen has earned a 79.8 PFF pass-rushing grade with one sack, three quarterback hits and four hurries.
WOODYARD OWNS THE RUN
- Linebacker Robert Woodyard Jr. has received a team-leading 90.7 run-defense grade from PFF through four games.
- Among FBS linebackers with at least 75 run-defense snaps, Woodyard’s 90.7 run-defense grade ranks fifth nationally and leads the SEC.
- Officially, Woodyard has recorded 32 tackles, one tackle for loss, one interception, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.
- PFF has credited him with a team-best 12 run stops across 91 run-defense snaps - tied for second among SEC linebackers.
- Woodyard has played 190 total defensive snaps, the most among Mizzou linebackers and fifth-most among all Tiger defenders.
NO-FLY FLORENCE
- Cornerback Jahlil Florence has limited opposing receivers to two catches on 13 targets through four games, according to PFF.
- Florence has allowed just seven total receiving yards, holding opposing QBs to a 15.4 completion percentage and a 7.5 passer rating when targeted.
- Among FBS defenders targeted at least 10 times, Florence’s 15.4 completion percentage allowed and 7.5 opponent passer rating both rank second nationally and lead the SEC.
- He has added one interception and three pass breakups en route to a 78.1 coverage grade.
THE BANNER STANDARD
- Safety Santana Banner has been one of Mizzou’s most active defenders through four games, with PFF charting him for 222 snaps to rank second on the team.
- Banner ranks second among Tigers with 35 tackles, trailing only Nicholas Rodriguez’s 39.
- His 14 PFF defensive stops are tied with Robert Woodyard Jr. for the team lead.
- Banner has also earned a 76.0 overall defensive grade and a team-best 80.5 coverage grade among Tigers with at least 50 coverage snaps.
TACKLING TRIO
- Three Mizzou defenders recorded double-digit tackles at Mississippi State.
- Robert Woodyard Jr. led all players with a career-high 14 stops, while Nicholas Rodriguez added 13 and Kensley Louidor-Faustin established a career best with 12.
- It marked the first time three Tigers reached double figures in the same game since Kentrell Brothers, Markus Golden and Braylon Webb accomplished the feat against Georgia on Oct. 11, 2014.
FAST START, ELITE COMPANY
- QB Austin Simmons has completed 70-of-107 passes for 947 yards and 11 touchdowns through his first four games as a Tiger without throwing an interception.
- Compared to the first four games of the first full seasons as Mizzou’s starting quarterback for the program’s three career passing leaders — Chase Daniel, Drew Lock and Blaine Gabbert — Simmons owns the second-highest completion percentage and is tied for second in touchdown passes.
- Simmons has thrown his 11 touchdowns on just 107 attempts, 24 fewer than any of the other three quarterbacks.
BRUNNO'S BIG BOOT
- Punter Brunno Reus averaged 50.5 yards across four punts, totaling 202 yards in his first Border War appearance.
- His 50.5 average marked the best average in a game by a Mizzou punter since Sept. 25, 2021 (min. two punts).
- Reus delivered a career-long 66-yard punt, the longest by a Tiger since Luke Bauer recorded a 73-yarder against LSU on Oct. 7, 2023.
- In the win over Troy, Reus booted a 58-yarder that was downed at the 2-yard line.
- He placed a 40-yard punt at the Mississippi State 2-yard line during the second quarter.
- It marked the second-straight game in which Reus has had a punt downed at the opponent’s 2-yard line.
- Overall, the Brazilian punter is averaging 47.4 yards across 17 punts, ranking fifth nationally and second in the SEC in punting average.
- Reus has placed nine punts inside the opponent’s 20-yard line and produced eight punts of at least 50 yards, including a season-long 66-yarder.