500-151. The yardage margin was 500-151. I know Florida has suffered injuries; I get that. But the yardage margin was 500-151. This score was a lot closer to being 50-10 than it was, say, 27-24 or something. This was complete and utter domination of a Florida team that is still decent. And it came a week after what was basically Missouri's biggest road win in a generation. And it came without Missouri's best offensive player and best defensive player.
This was a big a statement win as Missouri could have made. (Well, I guess 50-10 would have been even bigger, but you know what I mean. We don't know what happens next, but to this point in the season, Missouri has not only earned a spot in the top 10 ... it's hard to justify ranking Missouri lower than about sixth.
1. Recaps
MUtigers.com: No. 14 Mizzou Dominates No. 22 Florida, 36-17
MUtigers.com: Mizzou/Florida Post-Game Quotes
Missouri Head Coach Gary Pinkel
Opening Statement:
"We played against a really good football team and I was really proud of how our players competed. They play well and they have great chemistry. I look at our team and I thought he handled adversities pretty well in this game. Florida is a good team. They made some plays and we rebounded from them very well."
On overall team chemistry this season:
"I saw this back in August and I told a lot of different people about it. It doesn't surprise me. What I'm excited about is that this team is so driven. They play so hard and compete so well. When you have guys that compete like that and bring it every single Saturday, you're very fortunate as a coach."
On freshman quarterback Maty Mauk's first career start:
"He's a great competitor. Sometimes he tries to make too much happen. He'll fire it down field when we have something close that's open and he'll learn from that. But I couldn't be more pleased with him. If you looked at him in high school, that's what you saw on tape every time you saw him play. He's a playmaker. You saw that when he ran that touchdown in at the end of the quarter. It's great to see a back-up quarterback to come in and play at that kind of a level."
On the offensive production against stout Florida defense:
"We've got a lot of playmakers. Look at the different players at different positions that made a big play in this game. They're all over the field. It seemed like everybody had to do something. Whether it was Henry Josey, Russell Hansborough, Jimmie Hunt or Dorial (Green-Beckham) or L'Damian Washington. I could go on and on. When you have those kind of players, you're very fortunate."
On the defense holding Florida to 151 yards of offense:
"We played great defense. We're playing at an all-time level up front on the defensive line. We rotate a lot of players in there and they play hard against good offensive lines. Florida has a good offensive line."
On the team's 7-0 record and moving forward in SEC play:
"I talked to the team about getting back to the grind. They know what the grind means. They have to have the discipline and mental toughness to handle all of this attention that will be thrown at them. That's where I will lean on the seniors and captains."
MUtigers.com: Mizzou vs. Florida Post-Game Notes
The Trib: Missouri bites at the Chomp
The Trib (Behind the Stripes): Missouri builds lead in SEC East with 36-17 win over Florida
The Missourian: Missouri football defeats Florida 36-17
KC Star: Missouri-Florida game report
Reason to hope: Defensive end Michael Sam continues to set the pace for an underrated Missouri defense. Sam recorded three sacks, his third three-sack game of the season, giving him half of the Tigers’ sacks and three of the 11 tackles for a loss. Florida rushed for only 59 yards in 31 carries.
Reason to mope: The stadium can’t hold more people? Really, is there any reason to mope right now for Missouri fans? The Tigers just beat a ranked opponent in consecutive weeks for the first time since 1973 and have a two-game lead in the loss column in the SEC East. Of course, there was the second-half kickoff return TD.
Looking ahead: Missouri not only leads the SEC East, but the Tigers have a pretty comfortable lead after Georgia and South Carolina were upset. Of course, that also means the Gamecocks will be in must-win mode next weekend to keep flickering hopes alive for a berth in the SEC championship game.
Post-Dispatch: Mauk-toberfest at Mizzou as Tigers clobber Gators
PowerMizzou: The Day After
2. Multimedia
The Missourian: PHOTO GALLERY: Florida vs. Missouri - Columbia Missourian
PowerMizzou: PMTV-HD: Mizzou 36 Florida 17
PowerMizzou: PMTV-HD: Florida Post Game
PowerMizzou: The Sideline View
Mizzou Network: HIGHLIGHTS: No. 14 Mizzou Downs No. 22 Florida
Mizzou Network: POSTGAME: Pinkel after Florida Victory
3. It was a party
The Missourian: Missouri football fans rise to the occasion for Florida game
4. It was a statement
KC Star: Missouri shows why it belongs at the top of SEC East
Post-Dispatch (Bryan Burwell): Mizzou is on the rise
5. Next
The Missourian: Missouri football victory against Florida sets stage for Homecoming matchup
Fox Sports MW (Sean Keeler): After stomping Florida and silencing the haters, 7-0 Mizzou has a new challenge -- humility
"One of (the) goals was to bring Missouri back to being respected," Tigers coach Gary Pinkel said of his men, who moved to 7-0 overall and 3-0 in league play, opening up a two-game lead in the loss column atop the SEC East. "Not only in the SEC, but nationally."
Now comes the hard part.
Handling the love.
Missouri woke up Saturday morning No. 14 in the most recent Associated Press poll. After putting the boot to an wounded Georgia team in Athens and putting another sole up the backside of Florida at home, the top 10 beckons, you'd think. At least, you'd hope.
"We have to have a great practice on Tuesday," center Evan Boehm said. "We can't list to, 'Oh, you're great, you're great, you're this, you're that.' Yeah, we know that.
"But we're not going to worry about that right now. There's going to be a time and a place to celebrate that. And right now is not the time to do that."
6. The other side
The Trib: UF's problems? Where does he start
Alligator Army: Missouri 36, Florida 17: Tigers run over battered Gators in Columbia
Alligator Army: Video: Will Muschamp says Florida is "just not a very good football team"
Gainesville Sun: Gators lose more ground in SEC race
Gainesville Sun: Struggles continue for UF
Gainesville Sun: Gators have work cut out for them
Gainesville Sun: Notebook: Florida's Riggs ejected from game
Gainesville Sun: UF again dominated on line
Gainesville Sun: Dooley grades: F