Sports · NEWS EXPLAINER
Florida runs past No. 4 Ole Miss 52-28 in Swamp upset
No. 21 Florida rushed for 302 yards, scored on its first five second-half possessions and handed fourth-ranked Ole Miss its first loss of the season.
No. 21 Florida beat No. 4 Ole Miss 52-28 at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on Saturday, turning a 17-6 halftime lead into a statement win by scoring touchdowns on its first five possessions after the break. Florida improved to 4-0 and 2-0 in the SEC; Ole Miss fell to 3-1 and 1-1.
The Gators controlled the game on the ground. Jadan Baugh ran for 142 yards and three touchdowns, Duke Clark added 126 yards and a score, and Florida finished with 302 rushing yards. Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss produced 342 total yards, but two second-half turnovers helped Florida pull away.
Florida made the upset a rushing contest
Baugh scored twice before halftime as Florida built a 17-6 lead, then Clark broke a 45-yard touchdown run on the Gators’ first possession of the third quarter. Clark later added a 44-yard run that set up Aaron Philo’s touchdown pass to Amir Jackson.
The production was both explosive and sustained. Florida ran for 302 yards, held the ball for 36:59 and finished with 27 first downs. Baugh and Clark became the first Florida teammates since 2022 to top 100 rushing yards in the same game.
Ole Miss twice closed to three points
Ole Miss did not disappear after halftime. Chambliss opened the third quarter with an eight-yard touchdown run, then scored again from 10 yards to cut Florida’s lead to 24-21.
Each response met another Florida score. London Montgomery’s 74-yard kickoff return set up Philo’s one-yard touchdown, and the Gators never again let the margin fall below 10 points.
One sack-fumble changed the fourth quarter
With Florida ahead 31-21, edge rusher Jayden Woods sacked Chambliss and forced a fumble that Myles Graham recovered. Seven plays later, Dallas Wilson scored on a six-yard run to stretch the lead to 17.
Ole Miss answered with Chambliss’ touchdown pass to Deuce Alexander, but Florida’s rushing game closed the door. Philo found Jackson for a five-yard score and Baugh added his third touchdown in the final period.
The result changes both teams’ early SEC picture
Florida’s official recap says the Gators opened SEC play 2-0 for the first time since 2019. Beating the fourth-ranked Rebels also gave Florida its highest-ranked victory since a 2015 win over No. 3 Ole Miss in the same stadium.
Florida is scheduled to visit No. 19 Missouri next, while Ole Miss travels to Vanderbilt. Florida’s two-back rushing attack turned a meeting with a top-five opponent into a 24-point win.
