SEC Evening Report: Missouri Must Fix Slow Starts Before Florida Visit as Texas Enjoys No. 1 Bye Week

LEAD STORY: Missouri Wants a Fast Response After First Loss

Missouri's first loss of the 2026 season, at Mississippi State, gave the Tigers a clear list of problems to fix. With Florida up next, the midweek message in Columbia kept coming back to the same issues: slow starts, missed chances, and not finishing drives. One early drive ran 10 plays and ended in a turnover on downs, and offensive penalties kept putting Missouri behind the chains. Missouri's head coach said the fix is less about big changes and more about what the staff will accept: "You encourage what you tolerate. You can't tolerate those starts anymore."

Missouri's defense also has to tackle better, and Florida running back Jadan Baugh will test that. He is a physical, downhill runner the Gators use in several ways. "We've got to do a better job getting guys on the ground," Missouri's staff said. The pass rush could be thin. Darris Smith and Langden Kitchen are both questionable but still listed as starters on this week's depth chart. Defensive lineman Marquis Gracial summed up the mood: "I don't think we're bad. I just think we got stuff that we got to work on, like tackling and things like that." On the other side of the ball, offensive lineman Dom Giudice said Missouri has spent the week preparing for the Gators' many fronts and formations. "They have a really good front," Giudice said. "We're excited to take on this challenge."

There were positives. Gracial praised the growth of interior linemen Donta Simpson and Jason Dowell, and Elijah Dotson pointed to cornerback Jahlil Florence's steady playmaking. Punter Brunno Reus has been one of Missouri's most useful players. His punts inside the 5 helped spark the Tigers in both of their slow-starting games. Missouri's coaching staff also pushed back on writing off the season after one loss: "Seasons are long seasons." How Missouri plays against Florida will say a lot about where its season is headed.

QUICK HITS

• Texas holds No. 1 heading into its bye: The Longhorns stayed No. 1 in both polls after a 20-17 road win over No. 14 Tennessee. Colin Simmons had five sacks, which ties the Texas single-game record, according to the Longhorns' official account. Tennessee fell in the polls after the loss, and Texas enters its off week described as "banged up."
• Aberdeen cleared to play for Florida: Guard Denzel Aberdeen, who won a national championship at Florida and started every game last season at Kentucky, won a temporary injunction that lets him play a fifth season for the Gators, per the school.
• SEC swimming honors go to Alabama, South Carolina and Florida: Alabama's Cadence Vincent was named SEC Co-Swimmer of the Week, sharing the award with South Carolina's Delaney Franklin. It is the first SEC swimming honor of the season. Florida freshmen Pearson and Moreth swept the men's and women's Freshman Swimmer of the Week awards after their college debuts, the first weekly honors of their careers.
• Innes stays in Baton Rouge: LSU gymnastics named Emily Innes a student coach for the 2027 season. Innes was LSU's lead performer on floor and sometimes competed on beam during her 2026 senior season with the national runner-up Tigers. She spent her first three seasons at Washington.
• LSU beats Texas A&M: And The Valley Shook reports that LSU put up 500 yards of offense in a lopsided win over Texas A&M. Ole Miss dropped in the latest AP Top 25.

PORTAL WATCH

The transfer portal was quiet over the last 12 hours, with no new SEC-related entries or commitments reported. With the season in full swing, most roster changes this fall will come from eligibility cases like Aberdeen's rather than portal moves.

RECRUITING BUZZ

No new SEC football commitments were logged in this window, but Texas softball added another top recruit. Doral Academy (Fla.) outfielder Zoey Abdullah, the No. 61 player nationally in the 2028 class, committed to the Longhorns on Sunday. She joins her older sister, Anabela, a first-year infielder on the current Texas roster.

On the football side, 247Sports reports that Texas is fighting to hold onto commit Easton Royal while pushing for a new linebacker target during the bye week. It also reports that SEC programs made progress with Midlands prospects after last weekend's visits.

GAMES TO WATCH

No SEC games are scheduled today. This week's key matchups:

• Florida at Missouri: Missouri tries to bounce back against a Florida team its staff called talented in all three phases. Watch Baugh against Missouri's tackling, and Missouri's offense in the first quarter.
• South Carolina vs. Kentucky: An SEC East matchup that could shape both teams' paths through the middle of the season.
• Texas (bye): The top-ranked Longhorns rest and try to get healthy after opening SEC play with a win in Knoxville.