Five on the Spot

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• Recruit Reaction: Florida is going to surprise a lot of people this year
• Getting to Know: Davin Davidson

Here are five Florida Gators who are in the spotlight, and on the spot, to perform against Missouri.

AARON PHILO

Philo has had an excellent start to the 2026 season. He has thrown for 917 yards, seven touchdowns, and two interceptions. He has also scored three rushing touchdowns. Jadan Baugh has taken a significant amount of pressure off of Philo’s shoulders. Philo really hasn’t had to do much in terms of making big plays. I think he will be tested again this week against a tough road opponent in Missouri. Overall, he was pretty good against Auburn. Let’s see how he fares on the road again.

ERIC SINGLETON JR.

Singleton was a game-time decision last weekend against Ole Miss. He ended up playing but still seemed to be limited, having just one catch for 38 yards. While his catch did lead to a touchdown, the game was pretty much over already. With Jon Sumrall saying that he will be a full-go this week, he has the chance to really make an impact in the passing game.

JAYDEN WOODS

Woods has had an impressive 2026 campaign. He recorded another sack in the win over Ole Miss. His strip sack was a pivotal moment in the game, giving the Gators the ball back with a 10-point lead in the second half. Sumrall talked about how good the Missouri offensive line is. Woods will need to be on top of his game for the Gators to come out victorious. Also, I asked Woods in the preseason what game he had circled on his schedule. He said Missouri because of having family in the area. With that and all the other motivation surrounding this game, I expect Woods to have another standout performance.

VERNELL BROWN III

Brown has also had a great season so far. Though he had just three catches for 25 yards in the win against Ole Miss. He did have a 68-yard touchdown, but it was called back due to a holding penalty. He also suffered a minor injury during the game. He underwent an MRI, and Sumrall said it was great news and nothing major. I assume that he will still be playing this week. This is an opportunity for him to get back on track.

DJ COLEMAN

The Baylor transfer has been a pleasant surprise in the secondary this season. He had two interceptions all last season and he has already matched that total in just four games. He seems to be emerging as a leader on this defense and continues to make impact plays. During media availability, he was asked about the way Florida last lost to Missouri. He said that he didn’t even want to be in a last play of the game situation. I think another great performance from Coleman would be a big help in what has been a bipolar secondary.

PREDICTION

This will be the first time that I go against my preseason prediction. I originally had Florida losing this game, but Sumrall has given me the confidence that they will finally beat Missouri in their house.

Alvis: Florida 35, Missouri 21

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