Florida Gators Facing New Surprise Pressure Ahead Of Missouri Game

The Florida Gators have been the surprise of college football this season.

Florida hired Jon Sumrall as its head coach, and it’s a slam-dunk hire already, as he’s turned the Gators into a playoff contender. Florida is coming off a blowout win over the Ole Miss Rebels to prove they are legit contenders.

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However, the Gators are now in a potentially tricky two-game stretch where Florida goes on the road to play the Missouri Tigers and then hosts the South Carolina Gamecocks.

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Florida was considered a dark horse early, but now the Gators are expected to win and win big. The Gators are 5.5-point favorites on the road against Missouri.

The Tigers are coming off a loss to the Mississippi State Bulldogs in a game Missouri struggled in. So, Florida is now the team expected to go on the road in the SEC and perform, which is never easy.

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Meanwhile, this two-game stretch is a tough one for Florida, as the Gators play Texas at home and Georgia on the road, which are very difficult games. So, there’s a real chance Florida overlooks Missouri and South Carolina as they already focus on Texas and Georgia.

These games are critical for Florida’s playoff hopes as they need to win them. Even with losses to Texas and Georgia, a 10-2 Florida team still likely gets into the playoffs.

Yet, a loss to Missouri or South Carolina could very well end the Gators’ playoff hopes. So, Florida can’t get ahead of themselves, as they can’t let the hype get to their head, as the Gators still have to play as well as they have against Missouri and South Carolina to remain the top contender they have shown themselves to be.

Florida Gators Can’t Overlook Missouri

Florida is coming off a huge win over Ole Miss, which was a statement performance. The Gators showed they are legit playoff contenders.

Yet, the Gators need to continue that success, and with expectations on them, the pressure is on Florida against Missouri, as this is a game they are now expected to win.

Although there is hype on Florida being back, Sumrall isn’t letting that get to his head, as he knows Missouri is a tough place to play.

“I have zero concerns about anybody’s homecoming. Our homecoming. I just, it’s a football game,” Sumrall said on Sept. 28. “I do know this, the last four trips we’ve gone to Missouri, we’ve lost three of them.

“So, if we think it’s going to be a freaking cakewalk, I don’t care if it’s homecoming or whatever, we’re in for a rude awakening. And, so, we’ve got to get ready to play a really good football team on the road in a place that’s not gone well for us a lot recently, in the most recent history.”

If the Gators can get past Missouri and South Carolina, Florida could very well be in the playoffs come the end of the season.

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This story was originally published by Lindys Sports on Oct 1, 2026, where it first appeared in the College Football section. Add Lindys Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.