Florida’s offense did not need to be at full strength to beat Ole Miss. The Gators won in Gainesville, handing No. 4 Ole Miss its first loss of the season.
The game followed a wild week for Ole Miss, which had just played an emotional matchup against its former coach Lane Kiffin and LSU. The energy was lower this time, but the stakes were still high. Florida entered as the No. 21 team in the country, while Ole Miss showed up at No. 4.
Early Advantage
Florida took control from the start. Running back Jadan Baugh opened the scoring with a short run to the end zone. Kicker Patrick Durkin added a point after and later kicked a field goal to put the Gators up 10-0.
Ole Miss finally got on the board with a field goal early in the second quarter. The Rebels added another late in the period, but those two field goals sandwiched another rushing touchdown from Baugh. Florida led 17-6 at halftime.
Second Half Surge
The second half belonged to Ole Miss. Signal caller Trinidad Chambliss scored a rushing touchdown on the team’s first drive of the half. Florida answered right back with a rushing touchdown from running back Duke Clark.
The ground game carried both offenses. Florida posted 302 rushing yards, with Baugh and Clark each rushing for over 100 yards. That is the first time two Gators have reached triple digits on the ground in the same game since 2022.
Fourth Quarter Stretch
Florida led the entire game and pulled away in the final period. The Gators offense has been impressive all season, scoring more than 50 points in all but one game. That exception was last weekend against Auburn, when they managed only 44 points.
Florida had not beaten a top-5 team since a win over Georgia in 2020. This victory will shake up the rankings.
What Comes Next
Florida faces the No. 19 Missouri Tigers next. Ole Miss gets a chance to bounce back in a couple of weeks against Vanderbilt.
| Team | Result | Ranking |
|---|---|---|
| Florida | Won | No. 21 |
| Ole Miss | Lost | No. 4 |
The win is a statement for Florida. The Gators have been fun to watch all season, but this was the kind of performance that gets attention. Baugh and Clark both rushing for over 100 yards in the same game was a rare sight.
Florida’s offense is built to score often. The only game it failed to hit 50 points was the Auburn contest. Against Ole Miss, the Gators found a way to win without needing to put up their usual numbers.
The comparison to Auburn is instructive. In that game, Florida fell short of its usual pace. Against Ole Miss, the Gators played within themselves and still won.
The win also ends a long stretch for Florida against ranked opponents. The last time the Gators beat a top-5 team was a win over Georgia in 2020.
Florida’s win over Ole Miss shows the depth of the Gators’ offense. Even when they do not score at their usual pace, they can still find a way to win.
- Baugh rushed for over 100 yards
- Clark rushed for over 100 yards
- Both ran for over 100 yards in the same game for the first time since 2022
- Florida led the entire game
- Florida pulled away in the fourth quarter
The Gators will face Missouri next. Ole Miss will look to bounce back against Vanderbilt.
Source material: “Florida drops impressive offensive performance to pull off massive win over No. 4 Ole Miss,” Fox News.
Get the Notebook.
The day's best stories and every fresh verdict, in plain English, in your inbox by seven. One email a day, no more.