Billy Gonzales watched on as the Gators endured an implosion against Kentucky on Saturday. The 38-7 loss was Florida’s fourth in five seasons when facing the Wildcats.
Now, Gonzales and Co. eye an even steeper challenge: Lane Kiffin and the No. 7 Ole Miss Rebels (9-1, 5-1 SEC). The seasoned head coach has orchestrated three 10-win seasons in Oxford, Mississippi, and is on his way to his fourth. Kiffin’s name has also been floating as a top candidate for Florida’s vacant permanent head coaching job.
Florida (3-6, 2-4 SEC) will travel to Vaught Hemingway Stadium for the first time since 2020.
Immediately after their lackluster performance against Kentucky, the Gators will search to stun one of the powerhouses of college football. A loss in Week 12 will hand Florida its fourth losing season in the last five years.
In order for Florida to extend its win streak over its SEC foe to four games, it must prove successful in various facets of the contest.
Limit Ole Miss’ big plays and time of possession
The Rebels’ offense has been one of the most explosive in college football this season. The group ranks No. 2 in yards per game (306) and No. 1 in yards per completion with 14.48.
Quarterback Trinidad Chambliss has taken the country by storm in his first season with Ole Miss. The senior spent three seasons with Division-II Ferris State prior to making the switch to the Rebels. After quarterback Austin Simmons went down with an ankle injury early in the season, Chambliss’ name was called.
The Grand Rapids, Michigan, product has accumulated 2,297 passing yards in eight starts. He is also a force with his legs, averaging 51.6 rushing yards per game while adding six touchdowns over the same span.
“Don’t underestimate his size, he’s extremely powerful and capable and a willing runner when he gets down in the goal-zone area,” Gonzales said. “It’s going to be a challenge all the way around.”
Chambliss has thrived in Kiffin’s ramped up offense. The signal caller has accounted for at least one play of 35 or more yards in nine games this season.
Ole Miss’ offense has made a name for itself regarding tempo. The squad has run 740 total plays compared to their opponents’ 637.
“They’re averaging 744 snaps a game,” Gonzales said. “They’re top-100 nationally on explosive output total overall. So yeah, they do a good job.”
Gators junior defensive back Bryce Thornton reeled in his first interception of the season against Kentucky on Saturday. Now, he’ll look to add on to that performance and mimic his exceptional game last season against Ole Miss, where the Gators took down the No. 7 Rebels and Thornton tallied 14 tackles and two interceptions.
“Everybody has their own style, but you can still look back at other teams and see what they do,” Thornton said. “Ole Miss is a very different team to others. So we tune in on them a little different.”
Stop turning the ball over
Lagway’s performance in Lexington was nothing short of an embarrassment. The sophomore quarterback entered the 2025 season atop the college football mountain. He was consistently in Heisman conversations after having a stellar freshman season, going 6-0 in games he started and finished.
The last three months have been a different story. Lagway leads the country in interceptions thrown with 12 and has only tossed 11 touchdowns.
While there have been immense injury issues across the board, the Texas native has seen a significant drop off in production.
If it weren’t for Lagway’s frequent turnovers, the Gators may be eying a different situation with just three games remaining. With it looking like a bowl game is in the rearview mirror, the quarterback has to limit his interceptions while he can.
“Anytime you turn the ball over, you’re gonna put yourself behind the eight ball, you’re not going to have a chance to be successful,” Gonzales said. “We always talk about when you have the ball in your hands, you’re carrying the ball for the team.”
Three of Lagway’s picks came in the first half of the Kentucky loss. In a game where Florida stacked up much higher than the Wildcats on paper, and where UF was favored to win by over four points, the QB quickly put the contest out of reach.
Ole Miss has reeled in five interceptions off opposing quarterbacks, including two against LaNorris Sellers and South Carolina. While the Rebels rank just shy of the bottom of the SEC in picks, their secondary has limited its opponents 180 passing yards per game, which stacks up third in the conference.
Maximize all available weapons
In addition to Lagway’s interceptions, he has struggled to connect with receivers each week. With redshirt sophomore wide receiver Eugene Wilson III enduring a season-ending ankle surgery, the quarterback remains limited in available weapons.
Eugene and freshman wideout Dallas Wilson will both sit the remainder of the season due to injuries. Dallas sustained a foot injury against Georgia and appeared in just four games this season.
Wideouts Vernell Brown III and Aidan Mizell both suited up last week after heading into the week as questionable. However, they combined for just three receptions for 32 yards in the loss.
Redshirt freshman wide receiver TJ Abrams is slated to have a larger presence against Ole Miss. The Fort Meyers, Florida, native saw a season-high in receptions with four and picked up 28 yards against Kentucky.
Abrams has made it a point to enhance his route running ability in order to provide the Gators with more elusiveness at the receiver position as it is riddled with injuries.
“It's definitely the opportunity I’ve been looking for,” Abrams said. “I’m glad that it came, I’m not happy that it came the way it did, but I’m ready to step up to the plate and show them what I’m made of.”
Sophomore running back Jadan Baugh has been increasingly efficient both on the ground and through the air. The ball carrier added five receptions along with 64 rushing yards against Kentucky.
Ole Miss has generated little success in defending the run. The Rebels’ defense ranks 13th in the SEC and has allowed 143.6 rushing yards per game. Although, the group is slightly better at home than on the road in the category, letting up nearly 50 yards less when in Oxford.
The Gators’ success is determined by the use of Baugh. When the sophomore rushes for over 100 yards, Florida comes out victorious. The same is true when Baugh sees more than 20 carries per game. The Gators defeated Mississippi State and No. 9 Texas in both instances.
Sharing the backfield with Baugh is freshman KD Daniels. The running back averaged five yards per carry against the Wildcats, and has totaled 92 rushing yards on 21 carries this season.
When facing a squad that has had trouble stopping the run, Florida must count on its rushers to make plays, especially if the score is tight. Ole Miss has allowed 609 of its 1436 total rushing yards when leading by seven or fewer points.
Contact Riley Orovitz at rorovitz@alligator.org. Follow her on X @rileyorovitz.
Riley is a sophomore sports journalism student and is the swim & dive beat reporter for Fall 2025 in her first semester with The Alligator. In her free time, she may be watching past Miami Dolphins or Florida Panthers highlights or hanging out with her friends.
