No. 25 Missouri delivered the first top-10 upset of college football’s Week 5 on Saturday, routing No. 8 Florida 45-17 at Memorial Stadium in Columbia. The final Missouri upsets Florida football score capped a stunning second-half takeover in which the Tigers outscored the Gators 35-7 after the game was tied 10-10 late in the second quarter.
Missouri quarterback Austin Simmons went 23-of-30 for 340 passing yards and two touchdowns without an interception, and running back Jamal Roberts gashed the Gators for 211 rushing yards and three touchdowns. The Tigers piled up 560 yards of total offense while holding Florida — a team averaging 532.8 yards per game entering Saturday — to just 325 yards, according to the Associated Press account of the game.
Florida (4-1) suffered its first loss of the season just one week after its statement win over then-No. 4 Ole Miss. For Missouri (4-1), the blowout snapped a nine-game losing streak against ranked opponents and gave head coach Eli Drinkwitz his first regular-season win over a top-10 team in 11 tries.
Missouri upsets Florida football score: how the blowout unfolded
The game looked competitive early. The teams traded field goals in the first quarter for a 3-3 tie, and Florida answered a Missouri touchdown with one of its own to even the score at 10-10 in the second quarter. That was as good as it got for the Gators.
Simmons took over from there. The Missouri quarterback threw a 47-yard touchdown strike to Donovan Olugbode and later hit Caleb Goodie for his first career touchdown catch, opening up a 20-10 halftime lead. Simmons completed 16 of 21 passes for 238 yards and both of his touchdowns in the first half alone.
Then the running game — and the Missouri defense — finished the job. Roberts broke long runs of 77 and 80 yards in the second half, including an 80-yard touchdown burst that pushed the lead to 45-10 in the fourth quarter, per USA Today Sports’ live coverage. The Tigers scored 10 points in the third quarter and 15 in the fourth to turn a close contest into a rout.
Florida added a late touchdown to make the final 45-17, but by then the outcome had long been decided. Missouri’s 35-7 run from the late-second-quarter tie included a 35-0 burst during which Florida did not score at all.
Missouri’s defense smothered Jadan Baugh and the Gators’ ground game
The most decisive stat of the afternoon was on the ground. Florida entered the game averaging 260.0 rushing yards per contest, but Missouri held the Gators to just 42 rushing yards on 25 carries.
Star running back Jadan Baugh — who had drawn early Heisman Trophy buzz after scoring 11 rushing touchdowns over his first four games — was held to 13 yards on 12 carries. After a 12-yard gain on his first touch of the game, Baugh managed exactly one yard on his other 11 carries. Missouri defenders recorded three sacks and 11 tackles for loss, constantly invading Florida’s backfield.
“They played with physicality. Hat’s off to them. They deserved the win. We earned the loss,” Florida coach Jon Sumrall said after the game, according to the Associated Press.
Simmons and Roberts: the duo that buried the Gators
Simmons was spectacular from the opening series, according to the Columbia Daily Tribune, clearing 300 passing yards for the first time in a Missouri uniform. His favorite target, Cayden Lee, caught eight passes for 110 yards, and the left-handed quarterback distributed the ball to every corner of the field.
That big-play passing opened running lanes for Roberts, who dominated the second half. The 211-yard, three-touchdown performance was a thorough beatdown of a Florida defense that had commanded most of the pregame discussion — instead, the top running back on the field wore black and gold.
Gators quarterback Aaron Philo finished 21-of-34 for 197 yards and a touchdown, but much of that production came after the game was out of reach.
Missouri upsets Florida football score: what it means for the AP Top 25
The result scrambled the rankings picture. Florida had risen to No. 8 in last week’s AP Top 25 after its upset of Ole Miss, and the loss to Missouri guarantees a significant fall when the new AP Top 25 poll is released Sunday. How far the Gators drop remains to be seen.
For Missouri, the win answers loud questions. The Tigers had opened 3-1 with a 0-1 SEC mark and took heat over their inclusion in both the AP Top 25 and the US LBM Coaches Poll. It was, per USA Today, the program’s first top-10 win since 2013 — and the statement that Drinkwitz’s team belonged all along.
“It’s a good win against a really good team today. That’s all it was,” Drinkwitz said after the game, bristling at discussion of his record against top competition.
The win also reshapes the SEC race. Florida was emerging as a conference contender under Sumrall after the Ole Miss win; instead, the Gators now face questions about their offensive line and run game after getting dominated in the trenches. Missouri, meanwhile, moves back into the thick of things in a conference where every October Saturday can redraw the standings.
FAQ
What was the final Missouri upsets Florida football score?
No. 25 Missouri beat No. 8 Florida 45-17 at Memorial Stadium in Columbia on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026. The game was tied 10-10 in the second quarter before Missouri outscored Florida 35-7 the rest of the way.
How did Austin Simmons and Jamal Roberts play?
Simmons went 23-of-30 for 340 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions, throwing both scoring passes in the first half. Roberts carried 24 times for 211 yards and three touchdowns, with long runs of 77 and 80 yards in the second half.
How badly did Missouri shut down Florida’s running game?
Florida, which had been averaging 260.0 rushing yards per game, was held to 42 rushing yards on 25 carries. Star back Jadan Baugh managed only 13 yards on 12 attempts, and Missouri recorded 11 tackles for loss.
What happens to Florida in the AP Top 25 after the loss?
Florida was ranked No. 8 after beating No. 4 Ole Miss the previous week. The 45-17 loss guarantees a drop when the new AP Top 25 and Coaches Poll are released Sunday, Oct. 4 — how far the Gators fall is one of the weekend’s biggest ranking questions.
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