Take Five: Ross’ Recap

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• Take Five: 2026 Florida Football Preview
• Florida Football Preseason Superlatives
• Former Florida Football Player Roundtable III
• Former Florida Football Player Roundtable II
• Former Florida Football Player Roundtable I

The Florida Gators took down the Ole Miss Rebels in the Swamp Saturday night for their highest-ranked win in 11 years. The Gators were ranked 21st in the AP Poll and the Rebels 4th, heading into the match-up. But Florida’s 52-18 win propelled them to 8th place in the updated AP Poll released Sunday, while Ole Miss fell to 9th. The Gators are now 4-0 for the first time since 2019. Let’s take a look at what went well, who played well, and what parts of Florida’s game need some fine-tuning.

Five Players Who Performed Well

Jadan Baugh, Running Back, Junior

• Saturday marked the junior’s fifth consecutive 100-yard game, a streak that goes back to last season. He is only the third player in Florida history to accomplish this and the only in the 21st century; Emmitt Smith (1987,’ 88) and Fred Taylor (1997) are the only other players who accomplished this feat. On Saturday, Baugh ran for 142 yards and three touchdowns. Baugh remains first in the SEC for total rushing yards this season (600) and second in the country, barely behind Duke’s Nate Sheppard (644). The junior is tied with Najee Harris and Leonard Fournette for the most rushing touchdowns (11) by an SEC player through the first four games of a season since 2000. We are only a month into the season, and Baugh is putting up some insane numbers and consistently keeping his name in the running as a potential Heisman candidate.

Aaron Chiles, Inside Linebacker, Junior

• Chiles was truly flying all around the field Saturday, had a season-best of seven total tackles, and a tackle for loss. He also forced one fumble. Ole Miss was able to recover the fumble, but the four-yard loss kept the Rebels from converting on fourth down. Chiles’ aggressiveness was a huge asset to Florida this weekend, and he made some big plays that helped propel the Gators to their big win.

Duke Clark, Running Back, Sophomore

• Duke Clark has eased many of my initial concerns about the running back room. Clark had the first 100-yard game of his career, with 126 yards and a touchdown on the ground. Together, Clark and Baugh made up 268 of Florida’s 302 yards on the ground. This is the first time two Florida running backs each rushed for over 100 yards in the same game since Montrell Johnson Jr. and Trevor Etienne did so against South Carolina in 2002. Early in the third quarter, Clark had arguably one of the best plays of Saturday’s game, evading cornerback Antonio Kite and former Gator safety Sharif Denson for a 45-yard running touchdown.

Myles Graham, Inside Linebacker, Junior

• No surprise that Graham played extremely well Saturday night, as he is one of the best linebackers on the defense. Statistically, he played his second-best game this weekend with eight tackles, five of them being solo. In four games, he has a total of 28 tackles. I’m happy to see him continue to play such a big role on defense and lead this unit well on and off the field.

Aaron Philo, Junior, Quarterback

• I debated putting Philo on this list, not because he did not perform well, but because there are so many players who deserve their flowers after Saturday. However, I knew I had to include him because of his consistency this season and against Ole Miss. The Georgia Tech transfer completed 16 of 23 passes (70%) for 196 yards. He also pushed into the endzone for a touchdown in the third quarter. In the first three games of the season, he never broke past 22 pass attempts, but on Saturday, he added just one more for a total of 23 passes. Philo ranks 47th in the nation and seventh in the SEC with 917 total passing yards.

Five Players Who Need Fine-Tuning

Cormani McClain, Cornerback, Senior

• McClain had two solo tackles against Ole Miss but was burned on a 49-yard completion from Chambliss to receiver Deuce Alexander. The early third-quarter completion set up the Rebels’ 80-yard touchdown drive, which was their first touchdown of the game. Although McClain was part of a larger coverage group that fell short, he will still want to clean up his coverage, as that was a big play for Florida to give up to Ole Miss. Although McClain and the secondary as a whole have made a lot of improvement since week one, the Rebels’ 298 passing yards show there is still a lot of room for improvement in the unit.

Jeramiah McCloud, Defensive Lineman, Sophomore

• McCloud did not have poor production on Saturday, but he also did not make a significant impact. He had a solo tackle, as well as a tackle for loss. McCloud needs to be more aggressive on defense, where that fine-tuning really comes in his discipline. In the second quarter, the Gators were penalized 15 yards after McCloud received a face mask penalty when tackling Ole Miss running back Makhi Frazier. Not only did the flag extend the Rebels’ drive, but a foul like that is pretty unacceptable and completely avoidable.

Dallas Wilson, Wide Receiver, Sophomore

• Just last week, Dallas Wilson was on my “performed well” list, but he did not have enough production against Ole Miss to stay there. Wilson had two catches, 11 yards, and one rushing touchdown. Wilson played 47 of Florida’s 77 offensive snaps, which was second-most amongst Florida’s receivers. He was not completely uninvolved, but for as many snaps as he played in, I would have expected more from him through the air. So, I hope Buster Faulkner gets Wilson more involved in the passing game against Mizzou.

Bailey Stockton, Wide Receiver, Senior

• Stockton actually had the most receptions on the team, with four catches for 33 yards. He also had a 14-yard catch. So why is he on my fine-tuning list? Well, Stockton did not have very many explosive plays. He only averaged 8.3 yards per catch on his 33 yards. He does not have much to fine-tune, but he does need to create more explosive plays in Florida’s passing game.

Jaden Robinson, Inside Linebacker, Senior

• Robinson has appeared in every game for the Gators this season, logging ten tackles, one sack, and one tackle for loss. On Saturday, he played in 31 defensive snaps and finished with three tackles but no tackle for loss, sack, or pass breakup. With the Rebels racking up 426 total yards, Florida needs its linebackers to be more consistent and aggressive to make an impact beyond the box score.

Five Things I Liked From Saturday

Discipline on the O-Line

• Florida’s offensive line had a lot more discipline on Saturday than it had in previous weeks. The offense as a whole received three flags, but the good news is that they avoided pre-snap penalties except for one delay of game; the other two were for holding and a kick catch interference. This is an improvement for the offense, which had 12 total penalties against Auburn. I like that this side of the ball does not just say they are going to make improvement; they actually do. In each game, they are making the little changes that matter and improving the unit as a whole. I also have to throw in that Ole Miss’s defense had only one tackle for loss against Florida. The Gators’ offensive line played clean, but remained aggressive at the line of scrimmage.

Successful Kick Returns

• Florida gained 151 yards off Ole Miss’s kick returns on Saturday. And Florida running back London Montgomery provided the fuel in the return game. Across three returns, he had a total of 128 return yards, averaging 43 yards, and a long return of 74 yards. Ja’Vari Flowers also had a return for 23 yards. I would love to see a touchdown off the kick return next, but that is just me being nitpicky. As a whole, Florida’s special teams unit has been phenomenal.

Prioritizing the Ground Game

• Ole Miss’s run defense has struggled so far this season, with its interior defenders allowing opponents to run for 779 yards, the worst mark in the SEC. Florida absolutely exploited that weakness, running Jadan Baugh and Duke Clark for a combined 268 yards out of their 302 total. Gators capitalized on their greatest strength while exposing Ole Miss’s biggest weakness to secure a win on Saturday. Florida moved up from fourth to second in the SEC for rushing offense, with a total of 1040 yards this season. All I can say is, “run the Baugh” and “run the Clark,” and the Gators will continue to find a lot of success.

Drew the First Blood

• Florida was able to beat Ole Miss down emotionally, physically, and mentally, striking first: a Jadan Baugh touchdown on the first drive of the game. Florida also led 10-0 in the first half, allowing them to gain some much-needed confidence early on. Coming into halftime, the Gators were up 17-6. I walked around the Rebels’ bench a few times in the third and fourth quarters, and despite scoring 22 points in the second half, Ole Miss’s players seemed dejected. Florida’s ability to start strong and score the first 10 points was probably the difference between winning and losing that ballgame, so I am glad they were able to make that first dent.

Offensive Second Half Push

• Last weekend against Auburn, Florida’s offense remained dominant in the final two quarters, scoring 24 points. And it was a similar story against Ole Miss. The Gators were able to score touchdowns on five back-to-back drives in the second half, giving them the edge they needed to come out on top. Florida also scored the majority of their points in the second half (35) and gained 265 total yards, compared to a first half of 17 points and 233 total yards. In four games this season, the Gators’ o-line has only allowed two sacks, two quarterback hurries, and 14 tackles for loss. HUGE kudos to Phil Trautwein for developing this elite squad.

Five Issues I Saw Saturday

More Defensive Penalties

• The Gators had a fantastic game against the Rebels, but it was not perfect. Even still, it is difficult to pick out the flaws after such an electric win. Florida definitely made some improvements in penalties, with 8 total; last week against Auburn, they had 16. However, the Gators still have a lot to clean up, penalty-wise, on the defensive side of the ball. Florida had five defensive flags: face mask, two for holding, unnecessary roughness, and a pass interference. The defense lacked discipline in the second half, with four of the five penalties coming in the final two quarters. Jon Sumrall and Brad White need to put a lot of emphasis on coaching up the defense and getting them to play cleaner this week.

Rebels Stepped on the Gas in the Third

• Tracking with some of those defensive struggles, this was definitely apparent in the first half. Florida was up 17-6 in the first half, but Ole Miss then made it 24-21 in the third quarter. The Rebels scored 22 of their 28 total points in the second half. Just because the Gators’ offense has stayed consistent throughout the second half of games does not mean that the defense gets to let up on the gas pedal.

Trinidad Chambliss Made a Dent

• Against Florida, the Heisman front-runner completed 25 passes for 298 yards and a touchdown. He passed for his second-lowest yards this season, passing for 225 yards against Charlotte, 336 against Ole Miss, and 363 against LSU. However, he still made a significant dent, with one passing touchdown, two rushing scores that tied his career-high, and an interception against Florida. Chambliss also has the third-longest streak in the FBS for having at least one passing touchdown in all of his 17 starts. Though it was not enough to bring Ole Miss victory in the Swamp, Chambliss still made a dent and exposed the Gators’ defensive weaknesses.

Pass Defense Struggles

• On that note, the Rebels exposed Florida’s pass defense struggles. Ole Miss’s Deuce Alexander walked with 134 yards and seven catches. Caleb Odom, Johntay Cook II, and Caleb Cunningham also had three or more carries for the red and blue. Florida’s defense, and especially their coverage over the top, has been a weak point in their first few games. So, I am hoping this area finally improves by the time the Gators face Texas on the road.

Flawless Red Zone Execution

• Ole Miss was perfect in the red zone, going 4-4. Florida’s defense had some bright moments, including two turnovers in the second half, but the Rebels were still able to convert every single trip inside the 20 into a touchdown. Ole Miss was only 4-11 on third downs, which kept them from getting to the red zone consistently, but Florida needs to tighten up in the red zone because other SEC teams will be able to convert more on third down and get into a fourth-down scoring position.

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