OXFORD, Miss. — The Gators held up the conductor longer than many anticipated, but the Lane Train eventually pulled away in the second half as No. 6-ranked Ole Miss defeated Florida 34-24 on Saturday night at Vaughn-Hemingway Stadium.
In Florida’s first game at Ole Miss since Lane Kiffin‘s debut as the Rebels’ coach in 2020, rumors swirled Saturday that Kiffin could be Florida’s coach next season. The Gators started slow, but led 24-20 at halftime. However, instead of pulling off the upset, the Rebels responded by shutting out the Gators in the second half as Ole Miss completed a perfect home record led by running back Kewan Lacy, who rushed for 224 yards on 31 carries.
“I thought our defense did great things in the second half,” Kiffin said.
Ole Miss regained the lead on the first play of the fourth quarter, a 1-yard run by Lacy that capped a six-play, 86-yard Rebels drive that took only 1:48. The Rebels started on their 14 after a 62-yard punt by Tommy Doman flipped the field. However, on the final play of the third quarter, Lacy raced 59 yards to Florida’s 1, scoring on the next play.
“It definitely wasn’t good enough,” linebacker Myles Graham said. “We beat ourselves in the run game, not making plays. The offense gave us enough points on the board, and we didn’t capitalize.”
UF quarterback DJ Lagway‘s 57-yard touchdown pass to J. Michael Sturdivant put the Gators up 21-17 midway through the second quarter, and after Ole Miss kicker Lucas Carneiro connected on the second of his two field goals (27 and 23 yards) to make it 21-20, Trey Smack‘s 38-yard field goal with three seconds left in the first half gave the Gators a 24-20 lead.
But from the Ole Miss defense began to rise to the occasion, limiting the Gators to 326 total yards. Ole Miss piled up 538 yards.
Lagway led a scoring drive late in the first quarter, highlighted by a 47-yard strike to TJ Abrams that gave UF the ball at the Ole Miss 17. Three plays later, Lagway scored on a 5-yard run with 1:13 left in opening quarter, the first rushing score of his career.
On ensuing possession, Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss‘ pass was picked off by defensive lineman Jayden Woods, who returned the interception to the Rebels’ 5-yard line, setting up a Jadan Baugh 2-yard run that gave Florida its first lead, 14-10.
The first quarter ended 10-7, in favore of Ole Miss, with Gators first-and-goal from the 2 after a facemask call on Ole Miss’s Kam Franklin. Jadan Baugh’s 2-yard TD run gave Florida a 14-10 lead. However, Rebels responded to take a 17-14 lead on a 43-yard TD pass from Trinidad Chambliss to wideout De’Zhaun Stribling. Ole Miss’ drive was kept alive after on third down, after an incomplete pass, Gators edge rusher Tyreak Sapp was penalized for lining up in the neutral zone. The Rebels’ redo resulted in Chambliss’ scoring dart to Stribling, who caught the pass in the middle of the field and then split defenders toward to the end zone.
Florida won the toss and elected to receive, but the Rebels forced a three-and-out and quickly responded with a 12-play, 80-yard drive to take the lead. Kewan Lacy scored on a 3-yard run less than six minutes into the game.
On Florida’s second drive, Gators go three and out and Rebels take over at their 28 following Tommy Doman’s second punt.
What it Means
The Gators’ dwindling hopes of becoming bowl-eligible or finishing with a winning record officially died on Saturday night. The defeat guaranteed a fourth losing season in five years for Florida, and it marked the program’s 19th consecutive loss away from home against a ranked opponent. Florida’s last win over a team ranked in the AP Top 25 that was not at The Swamp was a 44-28 victory over No. 5 Georgia in 2020 in Jacksonville.
In the Spotlight
Gators quarterback DJ Lagway responded well in his first game since being benched at halftime of last week’s 38-7 loss at Kentucky. Lagway scored his first career rushing touchdown and finished 14 of 27 for 212 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Lagway, after throwing three interceptions at Kentucky, played a turnover-free game until a nasty break midway in the fourth quarter when his pass was tipped by Ole Miss lineman Suntarine Perkins and intercepted by Wydett Williams Jr. on second-and-7 from the Rebels’ 32-yard line, with the Gators down by a field goal.
Staggering Statistic
The Gators finished winless away from The Swamp this season, losing all six of their games outside Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. They gave No. 5 Georgia a scare two weeks ago in Jacksonville, and did the same to the sixth-ranked Rebels on Saturday. But in the end, this is the first Florida team to not win away from home since the winless 1979 team (0-10-1).
Up Next
Florida (3-7, 2-5) plays at home for the first time in more than a month, hosting a rare late-season matchup against Tennessee. The No. 23-ranked Vols (7-3, 4-2) beat New Mexico State on Saturday. The Gators are no longer eligible for a bowl game, but a win over the Vols would be a nice homecoming gift.
