By Jerry Ratcliffe
Tonight’s TaxSlayer Gator Bowl may be more impacted by who is not suited up as opposed to those who are when ACC regular-season champ Virginia (10-3) takes on Missouri (8-4) from the SEC.
Several key players that helped the Cavaliers and Tigers get to Jacksonville are expected to miss the game for a variety of reasons, although the UVA camp has been fairly mum about the status of leading rusher J’Mari Taylor, the ACC rushing champion, and deep-threat wide receiver Trell Harris, who suffered a leg injury in the ACC Championship game loss to Duke a few weeks ago. There has been no official word on Harris, and likely won’t be until close to game time.
Taylor has been “contemplating” on whether or not to opt out of the game. The running back has been selected to play in a postseason all-star game and may not want to jeopardize his health by participating in the bowl game.
Virginia’s outstanding cornerback Jason Prevard, who announced he was leaving the program to enter the transfer portal, will also not be available.
Missouri, which opened as a 7-point favorite by oddsmakers, is a 4-point pick heading into the game (7:30 p.m., EverBank Stadium, Jacksonville, Fla., ABC Sports).
UVA isn’t the only team missing players. Mizzou has at least five players who will not play in the game, including the Tigers’ starting quarterback, Brett Pribula, who will be replaced by freshman backup Matt Zollers, who will gain his third start of the season.
Also absent from Missouri’s lineup will be the Tigers’ leading tackler on the season, middle linebacker Joshia Trotter, and tight end Brett Norfleet. Both are sidelined by injuries. Trotter is considered a top-100 pick in the NFL Draft, should he choose that route.
Nine players, mostly backups, left the team to enter the portal, including two strong receivers in Marquis Johnson and Joshua Manning. Two freshmen backup running backs, Brendon Haygood and Marquise Davis, along with freshman defensive end Javion Hilson, redshirt freshman receiver James Madison II and freshman offensive lineman Henry Fenuku, are also missing.
Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz, formerly the offensive coordinator at NC State before taking over the Appalachian State head coaching position (he was replaced by Virginia’s current offensive coordinator Des Kitchings by the Wolfpack), said that with all the players who may be missing, the Cavaliers definitely have an edge at the quarterback position in veteran Chandler Morris, a driving force in leading UVA to only its second, 10-win season in program history.
“They have a six-year quarterback who understands what they’re trying to do,” Drinkwitz said. “They have a very good run game, but do a good job throwing the football. It’s a challenge on us defensively because we’re down a few players.”
Should Taylor skip tonight’s game, the onus will be on Harrison Waylee, who was Virginia’s second-leading rusher. The Wyoming transfer ran for 515 yards and 5 touchdowns (5.0 ypc) and caught six passes for 27 yards.
Meanwhile, Taylor led the ACC with 1,091 yards on the ground, UVA’s first 1,000-yard rusher since Jordan Ellis in 2018. The North Carolina Central transfer is much more than a lead running back. He is a threat catching the ball (43 receptions, 253 yards, 1 touchdown), is also a weapon in Virginia’s direct-snap/wildcat offense on the goal line, and is an accomplished pass blocker.
Missouri led the SEC in rushing offense and boasted the league’s top rusher in sophomore Ahmad Hardy, who is second in the nation in rushing with 1,560 yards and tied for sixth in touchdowns with 16.
Both teams are expected to try to establish the run, but Virginia does appear to have the edge in the passing game behind a solid Morris.
Elliott believes Missouri’s Hardy is the best running back in the country, having put up numbers against SEC defenses.
“Their offense is going to challenge you,” Elliott said. “They’re built a little bit different than maybe what we see in our league from a size standpoint, so it’ll be a really good challenge for us.”
