With every game remaining on its schedule being a must win, the Florida Gators (3-6, 2-4 SEC) have a difficult challenge on hand: No. 7 Ole Miss (9-1, 5-1 SEC) and the No. 4 offense in the nation.
Averaging 489 yards per game and 37.5 points per contest, Lane Kiffin’s Rebels have been virtually unstoppable on the offensive end. They have been held under 30 points only twice this season, and have topped the 40 point mark three times.
The Rebels also have showcased explosive play all season, a result of their high-octane pace. Ole Miss leads the country with 36 plays of 30-plus yards, and led the nation in 2024 with 47 such plays.
But just like 2024, the Gators have a chance to knock off the Rebels, not only gaining their own momentum, but hurting Ole Miss’ College Football Playoff chances in the process. According to ESPN’s Playoff Predictor, Ole Miss currently holds an 80% chance of making the 12-team field. However, if they were to lose to Florida on Saturday, that drops to 53%.
“We're gonna go out there and do our jobs, that’s the biggest thing,” UF junior defensive back Bryce Thornton said Wednesday. “But knocking a team out of the playoffs is fun, though."
If the Gators want to play spoiler, they will have to keep Ole Miss’ dangerous offense at play, which all starts with pressuring the Rebels’ quarterback, senior Trinidad Chambliss.
A former Division II National Champion at Ferris State, Chambliss has been a revelation in his debut season in Oxford. Since taking over the starting role against Arkansas Sept. 13, Chambliss has thrown for 2,297 yards and 12 touchdowns to only two interceptions.
In a play action heavy Ole Miss offense, Chambliss has excelled. 49.5% of his dropbacks have been play action plays, and he has a 66.4 completion percentage and five touchdowns on the concept.
Chambliss has also showcased his skills with his legs, totalling 434 yards and six touchdowns on 99 rushing attempts. He ranks third among quarterbacks in the SEC in rushing yards and fourth in rushing touchdowns.
“One of the things we talked about is … we've got to be able to contain him,” Florida interim head coach Billy Gonzales said. “Don’t underestimate his size, he’s extremely powerful and capable and a willing runner when he gets down in the goal-zone area.”
However, Chambliss hasn’t been the star of the Ole Miss offense: it’s been sophomore running back Kewan Lacy.
After transferring from Missouri, Lacy has firmly established himself as one of the best running backs in the nation. He has taken 201 carries for 912 yards and a FBS-best 16 touchdowns, three more than any other collegiate back. The 16 touchdowns also equals the Ole Miss single-season record
Lacy has showcased his strength and elusiveness throughout his impressive campaign. 666 of his yards have come after contact, good for fourth in the country. He has also forced 71 missed tackles, which ranks second in the nation.
“Yeah, it says a lot, just a true sophomore,” Kiffin said about Lacy’s production. “He’s an elite runner.”
In the passing game, Chambliss has a number of weapons at his disposal, as Ole Miss has five receivers with at least 390 yards through the air this season.
Leading the way, senior Harrison Wallace III has reeled in 36 catches for 579 yards and two touchdowns. Right behind him, sophomore Deuce Alexander has 467 yards, junior Cayden Lee has 409 yards and senior De’Zhaun Stribling has 391 yards.
However, Ole Miss’ most dynamic pass catcher is arguably senior tight end Dae’Quan Wright. The 6-foot-4 pass catcher has recorded 25 grabs for 449 yards and a team-best four touchdowns. Both marks rank second among SEC tight ends.
For Florida to shut down the Ole Miss offense, they need to shut down the heavy play action fakes. In the Rebels’ lone loss this season, Georgia effectively diagnosed the concept, as Chambliss only completed seven of his 15 play action pass attempts.
However, dealing with play action has been a weak point for the Gator defense this season. Against Mississippi State, quarterback Blake Shapen completed nine of 11 play action throws for 167 yards. Then, against Georgia, Gunner Stockton hit seven of eight play action passes for 58 yards and a touchdown.
“Everybody has their own style, but you still can look back at other teams and see what they do, 'cause all tempo is different, but some is the same,” Thornton said. "I feel like, with Lane Kiffin and his play calling, it's very different from other teams and the weapons they have as players, and even the quarterback.”
The Gators take on the Rebels on Saturday at 7 pm at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, Mississippi.
Contact Max Bernstein at mbernstein@alligator.org. Follow him on X @maxbernstein23.
Max is in his sixth semester at The Alligator and now serves as The Alligator's Football Reporter and is a junior sports journalism student. He previously served as The Alligator's Sports Editor, and served as reporter for women's tennis, volleyball and lacrosse. He also has made multiple appearances on the Paul Finebaum Show. He wants to shoutout his cats, Scooter and Zoe, and also loves niche professional athletes (shoutout Tomas Fleischmann).
