Jaydon Hill intercepted two passes and returned one for a touchdown as Florida defeated Missouri 24-17 Saturday in a Southeastern Conference clash in Gainesville, Fla.
Montrel Johnson Jr. rushed for 86 yards and a touchdown and Trevor Etienne added 83 yards on the ground for the Gators (4-2, 1-2 SEC).
Nathaniel Peat rushed for 117 yards and a touchdown for Missouri (2-4, 0-3). Brady Cook completed 22 of 30 passes for 220 yards, but he threw the two key interceptions.
The Tigers outgained the Gators 195-65 during the first half and built an 11-3 edge in first downs. But Florida got its ground game rolling in the second half to take control.
Florida took a 3-0 lead after Xzavier Henderson’s 48-yard punt return set up Adam Mihalek’s 37-yard field goal with just shy of three minutes left in the first quarter.
Hill’s interception and subsequent touchdown with a 1:01 left in the quarter pushed the Gators’ lead to 10-0. He stepped in front of Cook’s pass at the Missouri 49 and had clear sailing to the end zone.
Missouri cut its deficit to 10-7 with an 11-play, 67-yard touchdown drive capped by Cody Schrader’s 5-yard touchdown run with 3:55 left in the half.
After Missouri recovered an Anthony Richardson fumble, the Tigers tied the game 10-10 with Harrison Mevis’ 28-yard field goal with 20 seconds left in the half.
Florida got a 41-yard run from Johnson on its second play of the second half, but Mihalek missed a 47-yard field goal try.
Runs of 39 yards by Etienne and 32 yards by Richardson set up Johnson’s 3-yard touchdown as the Gators moved ahead 17-10.
Missouri marched back down the field, but Hill intercepted Cook again — this time at the Florida 4-yard line — late in the third quarter.
Johnson’s 36-yard run got the Gators rolling toward another score, which came on Richardson’s 9-yard TD pass to Ricky Pearsall for a 24-10 lead with 11:10 remaining in the game.
The Tigers responded with a 75-yard drive, capped by Peat’s 18-yard TD run to cut the lead to 24-17.
Missouri got a final chance to come back when Daylan Carnell intercepted Richardson with 2:57 left at the Tigers’ 32-yard-line, but the Tigers failed to capitalize.
–Field Level Media
