For the first time since 2019, the Florida Gators are 3-0. UF’s offense is ranked third in yards per game (544.3) and second in points per game (54.0) in the nation. The Gators’ defense has forced two turnovers per game and ranks fourth nationally with 4.5 sacks per game.
But they haven’t played a team quite like No. 4 Ole Miss (3-0).
In his first full season as head coach, Pete Golding’s Rebels have been red-hot, racking up two ranked victories, including an emotional 32-24 win over former head coach Lane Kiffin’s Louisiana State on Saturday.
Now, the Rebels head to Gainesville for a ranked matchup against the No. 21 Gators, a game that both UF offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner and defensive coordinator Brad White said will be a major challenge for their units.
Both coordinators are no stranger to the talent Ole Miss brings to the table, or the gritty mentality that Golding possesses.
Faulkner spoke on Tuesday about his more than a decade of history coaching against Golding, going back to their days at the Division II level. Throughout the years, the pair has faced off, matching up their explosive offenses against hard-hitting defenses. And it's clear the duo has a ton of respect for one another.
“Pete always has great defenses,” Faulkner said. “He's the head coach because he played good defense.”
“I’ve always had a lot of respect for Buster, a D-2 guy like myself. We’ve gone way back,” Golding said in a press conference on Monday. “He’s one of the best [offensive coordinators] in the country.”
And Faulkner’s unit, which has been firing on all cylinders as of late, has plenty to deal with when facing the Rebels' defense.
Seven different Ole Miss players have been involved in a sack this season, and five different players have recorded at least one pass deflection. But no defender on Golding’s unit has been quite as impressive as junior defensive tackle Will Echoles.
The projected early-round pick in the 2027 NFL Draft has been the undoubted top player on Ole Miss’ defense this season, leading the team with 10 total pressures and nine quarterback hurries. That hurry number is also tied for the national lead among qualified defensive tackles. His 84.1 defensive Pro Football Focus grade is also the runaway top mark on the team.
Four other Ole Miss players have five or more QB hurries this season, showcasing their all-around attack.
“They present a lot of problems,” Faulkner said. “I know what they do on a day-to-day basis. The way they walk through, the way they match routes, all the different things that go into winning. It’s going to be a great challenge for us.”
Defensively, White is no stranger to the elusive Trinidad Chambliss. The Ole Miss quarterback’s rise to stardom kicked off against White’s former club: The Kentucky Wildcats.
The Rebels traveled to Lexington on Sept. 6, 2025, to face then-starting quarterback Austin Simmons. The Miami native suffered a left ankle injury late in the fourth quarter, ushering in Chambliss. He entered the ballgame with a slim 4:05 remaining, but his efforts were good enough to put the one-possession contest away and earn something even greater: The starting job for the rest of the season.
Now, Chambliss is the favorite to win the coveted Heisman and took his club to the College Football Playoff Semifinal in just his 13th game as the Ole Miss starter. He threw for 3,937 yards and 22 touchdowns, plus 527 yards and eight scores on the ground. Chambliss picked up right where he left off in 2026, averaging 308 passing yards thus far.
“He’s a really talented player,” White said. “Unbelievable arm strength, obviously mobility. He can escape anywhere in the pocket.”
Jon Sumrall faced the 6-foot signal caller twice last season with Tulane and faced the consequences both times. The Green Wave faced a point differential of minus-61 when squaring off against the Rebels, but Sumrall will look to have better luck with his new program.
Chambliss tossed a combined 589 yards and three touchdowns in the two matchups against Tulane, including in the opening round of the College Football Playoff.
“He’s an elite level player,” White said.
If Florida wants to take down its conference foe for the second time in three years, it will have to bolster its talent on the back end. The Gators’ secondary surrendered 271 passing yards against Auburn in the 44-39 win. Despite the victory, White harped on the point total as “not acceptable.”
“We need to continue to improve. We need to get better. It’s just the bottom line, we need to get better back there,” he said.
Chambliss’ play-making ability coupled with Ole Miss’ star-studded receiving corps poses a massive threat to the White’s crew. Four Rebels have tallied more than 150 yards through three games alone — a testament to their mantra of spreading the ball.
But no wideout has stood out more than Deuce Alexander, who is ranked within the top 20 in the nation in receptions (20), receiving yards (295) and receiving touchdowns (3). The junior has already nearly notched 50% of his total yards from last season’s campaign and has already surpassed his 2025 touchdown total.
“You throw in Deuce Alexander on the outside, and they just have so much team speed. You feel an offense that’s just fast,” White said. “You just feel the team speed.”
The only question mark surrounding Ole Miss’ offensive attack is the health of junior running back Kewan Lacy, who left the win against LSU with a shoulder injury.
On Monday, Golding said that Lacy, who has 39 carries for 191 yards and four touchdowns this season, would be a game-time decision for Saturday’s contest.
If he does play, Gator fans already know the impact that the dynamic runner could have on a game. In Ole Miss’ 34-24 win over Florida on Nov. 15, Lacy carried the rock 31 times for 224 yards and three touchdowns to power the Rebels to victory.
“He’s a game-changer. When you watch him carry the football, he operates at a different speed,” White said. “That’s a tough group over there and they’ll take after their head coach, so they’re going to be grinders. He’ll do whatever he has to do to play.”
Regardless of who is on the field, Florida faces a major challenge against a top-five team in the country. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.
Contact Max Bernstein at mbernstein@alligator.org. Follow him on X @maxbernstein23.
Contact Riley Orovitz at rorovitz@alligator.org. Follow her on X @rileyorovitz.
Max Bernstein is a fourth-year sports and media journalism major and sports management minor. This Fall, he is a Sports Editor and a Florida Gators and Jacksonville Jaguars reporter at The Alligator. Now in his ninth semester with The Alligator, Max previously served in roles including Digital Managing Editor, Sports Editor, Assistant Sports Editor and Football Reporter. He has also made appearances on the Paul Finebaum Show. In the rare moments Max isn't working, he's usually with his girlfriend Reese, watching sports with his fraternity brothers or missing his family and his two cats.
Riley is a junior sports journalism student and a Fall 2026 sports editor and Gators football beat reporter. Currently in her third semester with The Alligator, she has previously covered Gators swim & dive and Gators gymnastics. She is an avid South Florida sports fan and enjoys playing/following all sports in her free time.
