Virginia vs Missouri Picks, Prediction & Injury Report – Gator Bowl

• Virginia and Missouri square off on Saturday in the Gator Bowl at 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC.
• Right now, the Virginia vs Missouri odds favor the Tigers by 4 points.
• Read below for the Virginia vs Missouri picks, prediction and injury report ahead of the Gator Bowl.

Often, bowl games take on a life of their own. Now, this time, we do not have the Pop-Tarts Bowl, but we have some Gator action instead. While gator meat does not quite taste like chicken, Virginia and Missouri should be a spirited affair, even if the numbers have come back a little bit from the initial opening. Opt-outs and injuries have played a role there.

One team will get to say they won a bowl sponsored by the TaxSlayer. The game kicks off Saturday night just after 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC from EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida. Hey, let us jump right into some picks.

Virginia vs Missouri Picks

• Matt Zollers 170+ Passing Yards (+104) at DraftKings Sportsbook
• Game Total Over 43.5 (-112) at DraftKings Sportsbook

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Now, the spread here has moved from around 6.5 to 7 points all the way down to 4 to 4.5. One can shop around to get Virginia +4.5 points on FanDuel or opt for the alternate at 4.5 for Missouri.

I waited as long as possible to offer up picks and predictions because these games after Christmas can get even goofier than what we saw before the College Football Playoff started.

Also, I almost forgot that this is the first college football game since sports betting became legal in Missouri. Of course, we have some Missouri betting apps and promos right here.

For us personally, the opt-outs are interesting, and we did not even get to the injury report. Beau Pribula, the Missouri quarterback, is in the portal and will not play. The game total plummeted seven points with the Pribula news (50.5 down to 43.5).

Ahmad Hardy will play for Missouri as the SEC rushing leader, who racked up 1,560 yards this season. Matt Zollers was a solid game manager when Pribula missed three games due to injury.

Virginia will try to feature Chandler Morris in this game, as the ACC quarterback will want to atone for a subpar ACC Championship game. His mistakes really made the overtime an all the more bitter pill to swallow.

J’Mari Taylor is still a game-time decision as the 1,000-yard rusher contemplates his future. If one is wondering, the injury report below is just as uncertain.

Because of the thinness at several positions, some expect ugliness. However, the offenses may surprise as Zollers is a better quarterback than being given credit for. This is his chance, and it’s on national television (Saturday night on ABC). The freshman will not be afraid of the spotlight, as both rosters are a little watered down. Hardy will get his yards, but so will Zollers.

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Virginia vs Missouri Prediction

• Best Bet: Missouri -4 (-108 at DraftKings)

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My Virginia vs Missouri prediction centers on Zollers and Hardy being able to get the job done against a Virginia team with questionable defense at crucial times. We saw it against Duke in the ACC Championship.

Combine that with some poor decision-making by Morris, and the Tigers have some advantage here still.

The Tigers’ ground game makes a difference here, especially if Taylor cannot go for the Cavaliers. Duke ran 44 times in the ACC Championship, and Missouri may try to play more run-heavy early to set up the pass later.

Virginia vs Missouri Odds

Missouri is favored by 4 points with a -185 moneyline, implying a 64.91% win probability for the Tigers. Virginia comes in as +154 underdogs with a 39.37% implied win probability.

The total is set at 43.5 points, with slight juice on the under, though the over is a better bet at the updated number.

Odds as of December 27, 2025, at DraftKings Sportsbook. Examine the best college football betting apps for Virginia-Missouri.

This figures to be a game of twists and turns before and after kickoff.

Virginia vs Missouri Key Injury Report

Remember, Josh Manning and Marquis Johnson have also opted out for the portal. With several additional variables that are basically game-time decisions, this is all about taking a little more accepted risk and hoping for some depth and talent to shine through with the Missouri side of the equation.

Odds as of December 27, 2025, at college football betting apps. Make sure you check out the best online sportsbooks to bet on Saturday’s Gator Bowl.