Brown Out: Florida Preps to Play Missouri Without VB3

COLUMBIA, Mo. — Florida’s top playmaker is not expected to play Saturday. Receiver Vernell Brown III is listed as doubtful on the SEC’s Friday availability report for No. 8 Florida’s game at No. 25 Missouri (3:50 p.m. ET, ABC). ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported the downgrade Friday.

Brown hurt his right knee at the end of a 6-yard run in the second quarter of Florida’s 52-28 win over then-No. 4 Ole Miss on Sept. 26. Coach Jon Sumrall called it the “lowest-grade strain you could get” on Monday and said the timeline would come down to how Brown felt.

What Florida is missing

Brown leads the Gators (4-0, 2-0 SEC) with 17 catches for 271 yards and two touchdowns, according to ESPN. He also has 16 yards rushing on three carries. His two punt-return touchdowns this season leave a hole on special teams, too.

Who steps in

Eric Singleton Jr. is back. He returned against Ole Miss after missing two games with a sprained left ankle, caught one pass for 38 yards and drew a 15-yard pass-interference penalty that set up Aaron Philo’s 5-yard touchdown pass to Amir Jackson. Sumrall said Singleton would be full go in practice this week.

Bailey Stockton, who took a hard hit across the middle against Ole Miss and was limited in practice with a sore back, is listed as probable on the SEC’s Friday report.

What to watch

Florida can run the ball, so the question is less whether it can score than whether it can stretch Missouri’s defense without its top deep threat. That answer starts with who lines up outside.

The SEC’s final availability report is due about two hours before kickoff. We will update this story when it posts.

Editor’s note: Live updates throughout the game, with a postgame story and presser coverage to follow.