Missouri's Eli Drinkwitz named SEC Coach of the Week after 45-17 upset over No. 8 Florida

CBS Sports named Missouri Tigers head coach Eli Drinkwitz SEC Coach of the Week for Week 5, according to www.saturdaydownsouth.com.

The honor follows Missouri's shocking 45-17 upset beatdown of the previously No. 8-ranked Florida Gators in Week 5 of the 2026 season. The source describes the win as "one of the best wins of the year."

Mizzou "shut down the Gators in every facet of the game," per the report, which made the recognition a straightforward call for the league's weekly coaching award. Drinkwitz's Tigers didn't just win — they dismantled a top-10 opponent on a stage where few gave them a chance.

THE UPSET WIN

The game itself was a beatdown from start to finish. Missouri took down Florida 45-17 in Week 5 of the 2026 season, according to www.saturdaydownsouth.com.

The Gators arrived in Columbia as the No. 8-ranked team in the country. They left with their worst loss of the season.

Mizzou "shut down the Gators in every facet of the game," per the report, with the Tigers controlling both sides of the ball. The source offers no specifics on yardage, turnovers or individual stat lines — those numbers are not included.

What is clear is the margin. A 28-point win over a top-10 opponent does not happen by accident.

The performance put the rest of the SEC on notice and set the stage for Drinkwitz's weekly honor. Florida simply had no answer for what Missouri brought, and the result was one of the defining results of the young season.

DRINKWITZ'S TENURE