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The No. 21 Florida Gators (4-0) defeated the No. 4 Ole Miss Rebels (3-1) 52-28 on Saturday at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Behind a dominant game from Florida’s running back room, they were able to outpace the Ole Miss offense and respond to any challenge the Rebels provided. This is the first time Florida has started 4-0 since 2019 and the second time since 2015. Florida hadn’t put up more than 50 points on an SEC team since they defeated Arkansas 63-35 in 2020.
IT WAS OVER WHEN: Sophomore JACK Jayden Woods made the most important play of the game for Florida’s defense. With 2:47 left in the third quarter and Florida ahead 31-21, Ole Miss had first down at the Florida 40. On the play, Woods was able to get around the edge and sack Ole Miss sixth-year quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, forcing him to fumble. The fumble was recovered by junior linebacker Myles Graham, and it helped set up the six-yard rushing touchdown by sophomore wide receiver Dallas Wilson to make it 38-21. This play helped give Florida more control in what was starting to become a back-and-forth game between these two ranked teams.
THEY STOLE THE SHOW: Florida’s running back room stole the show, and sophomore running back Duke Clark provided the room’s explosiveness against the Rebels. Clark had a 45-yard touchdown in the third quarter to make it 24-14, and he had a 44-yard run to help set up junior quarterback Aaron Philo’s five-yard touchdown pass to junior tight end Amir Jackson. Junior running back Jadan Baugh wasn’t as explosive as Clark, but he helped wear down the Ole Miss defense, scoring two touchdowns as well. Senior running back London Montgomery made his impact in special teams, with his ability to flip the field in Florida’s favor on multiple kick returns. While Baugh has launched a Heisman Trophy campaign for himself, Florida’s whole running back room has also elevated its play behind him.
THESE STATS DON’T LIE: Clark was Florida’s most explosive rusher, finishing with 12 carries for 126 yards and a touchdown. Baugh also had 29 carries for 142 yards as Florida’s leading rusher and three touchdowns, as he recorded his fifth-straight 100-yard rushing game. While Philo didn’t dominate in the passing game, he made the necessary plays to help Florida continue to dominate on the ground. Philo completed 16-of-23 passes for 196 yards and a touchdown. He also recorded a rushing touchdown.
AREA FOR IMPROVEMENT: The defense was able to contain Chambliss and the Ole Miss offense during key parts of the game. The Rebels didn’t score a touchdown in the first half, and the defense was able to get multiple key takeaways on the sack from Woods and an interception late in the game from senior defensive back DJ Coleman. They also made a fourth down stop on the first Ole Miss drive, which helped give Florida control of the game. While they gave up 28 points and over 400 yards of offense, they were able to make plays when Ole Miss was trying to get back in the game.
WHAT A PLAY: After Ole Miss responded to make it 24-21, Florida was once again looking to respond to a scoring drive from the Rebels. Senior running back London Montgomery returned the ensuing kickoff 74 yards to the Ole Miss 26-yard line. This was a game-changing play for Florida, as it gave them a short field to work with. After the return, Philo found Jackson for a 23-yard pass. Two plays later, Philo ran the ball in on a one-yard quarterback sneak to extend Florida’s lead to 10 points. The kickoff return helped Florida regain control of the game at a time where they were looking for a response to an Ole Miss touchdown.
UP NEXT: Florida goes back on the road, as they travel to the No. 19 Missouri Tigers. This hasn’t been a place where Florida has had success historically, with a 2-4 record at Faurot Field since the Tigers joined the SEC. The Tigers won the last meeting between the teams in 2023, 33-31. Florida will look to rewrite its history in Columbia next weekend, so they can maintain their undefeated record.
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