SEC Football Week 6 predictions: Can UT beat LSU in dreaded Death Valley?

3. Missouri upsets Florida, sending Gator panic meter through the roof

Oh, what could have been for the Missouri Tigers last week vs Georgia— the Tigers were a little more than four minutes away from upsetting the No. 1 team in the country. But, they can’t dwell on what could have been when they take on the Florida Gators this week.

Both Missouri Head Coach Eli Drinkwitz and Florida Head Coach Billy Napier are in desperate need of an SEC win and fast. Drinkwitz hasn’t won an SEC game since his Tigers last played Florida, back on November 20, 2021. Napier has yet to get a win against an SEC football team in his first season at the helm for the Gators, losing to Kentucky and Tennessee earlier in the season.

If the Gators don’t win against Missouri, Napier may have to wait until Nov. 12 vs South Carolina before his team is favored in an SEC game. With games against LSU, Georgia, and Texas A&M coming up after this Week 6 bout with Mizzou, things may get worse before they get better for the Gator faithful.

This is an era in which Athletic Directors, boosters, and fans have such low tolerances for losing, we’re seeing Power Five coaches get fired in rapid fashion. We’ve seen Nebraska, Georgia Tech, Colorado, and Wisconsin part with their coaches before reaching the midpoint of the 2022 college football season.

Napier surely has some leniency with this being his first season and trying to get his own recruits into the program. But, things have gotten off to a very bumpy start in Gainesville. It’s likely to get bumpier when Drinkwitz and his Missouri Tigers get a massive win in The Swamp this week.

Missouri lost to now-ranked No. 20 Kansas State earlier in the season pretty badly and they should have upset Auburn if it weren’t for some late-game miscues. Florida on the other hand has been so up and down this season and nearly got upset by South Florida a couple of weeks ago.

Expect Mizzou, who has a little bit stronger defense (allowing just 20 points per game in their last three games) to find ways to slow Florida QB Anthony Richardson and come out with a win.

Prediction: Missouri 27, Florida: 26