Image Credit: UAA

For the second time in three weeks, the Florida Gators fought a top 10 team tooth and nail away from home. For the second time in three weeks, with some late assistance from SEC referees, they were unable to complete an upset as the No. 7 Ole Miss Rebels, led by head coach Lane Kiffin, prevailed 34-24 at Vaught-Hemmingway Stadium in Oxford, Mississippi.

Despite playing far better in all three phases of the game than they did in their embarrassing loss at Kentucky last week, the Gators fell Saturday night for just the third time since former head coach Billy Napier’s hiring when taking a lead into the third quarter (19-3).

The final score was not at all indicative of how tight the game was played.

Florida scored two touchdowns in 77 seconds during the first half and maintained a 24-20 lead until the first play of the fourth quarter. The Gators then had a chance to tie the game in the middle of the final period, only for sophomore quarterback DJ Lagway to throw an unnecessary back-breaking interception with UF in field goal range.

Ole Miss subsequently drove down the field, but Florida stopped the hosts on the goal line for the second time in the game, taking over down three points with 2:42 remaining. On the Gators’ next offensive play, officials threw a flag for defensive pass interference, only to pick it up despite the penalty being clear as day. UF turned the ball over on downs with the Rebels punching in the game-sealing touchdown.

Interim coach Billy Gonzales falls to 0-3 since taking over for Napier, though he did have Florida playing hard Saturday night, as well as during his first game, a 24-20 loss to No. 5 Georgia.

The Gators are now 0-6 this season away from home, though five of those losses have come to teams ranked No. 3, No. 4, No. 5, No. 5 and No. 7.

Let’s take a look at what went down in Florida’s latest defeat and what’s ahead in their ongoing coaching search now that the Kiffin-led Rebels are in the rear-view mirror.

DJ Lagway giveth, DJ Lagway taketh away

Just seven days after being pulled at halftime amid a mind-numbing performance at Kentucky, Lagway was far more composed and successful in Oxford, scoring two touchdowns while leading Florida up and down the field as many times in the first half. Lagway and the Gators offense was less effective after the break, but it was a tightly played defensive affair in the third quarter with a 59-yard breakaway Rebels run leading to the only field-length score in the latter 30 minutes.

As well as Lagway played, though, he once again made a poor decision in a key moment that many will point to as the reason Florida lost Saturday night.

On third-and-5 at the Ole Miss 30-yard line with 9:4 left, Florida was in prime position for senior kicker Trey Smack to tie the game should it not create a first down. Lagway got pushed from the pocket, rolling out to the left, a situation in which most quarterbacks would throw the ball away, creating an opportunity to tie the game.

Instead, Lagway did everything he was not supposed to do. He not only threw on the run and across his body but did so with a high school-level sidearm toss. The ball was tipped immediately, popping into the air for an interception. UF did not advance past midfield over the remainder of the contest.

Lagway made huge gains with his legs in the first quarter — three, including a rushing touchdown, on Florida’s third possession. He delivered two of his best deep throws this season – 47 yards to redshirt freshman wide receiver TJ Abrams in the first quarter, 57 yards to redshirt senior WR J. Michael Sturdivant in the second. And yet, the back-breaking interception is understandably what everyone will remember.

Not Kiffin’s best night; is the Lane Train on the move?

The Rebels ultimately won by double digits, so it’s tough to rag on Kiffin’s coaching too much. Especially considering the SEC officials similarly screwed Ole Miss by mistaking the timing on a personal foul from redshirt senior EDGE George Gumbs Jr. during a field goal. (That would have given the hosts first-and-goal inside the 5-yard line, creating a legitimate TD opportunity.)

However, Kiffin made multiple frustrating in-game decisions, including going for it on fourth down seven times in the contest. (Ole Miss converted its first four then got stopped on three straight.) Florida’s defense obviously deserves a serious level of credit for how it played in the red zone, but Kiffin made a few calls that, perhaps, did not give the Rebels their best chance to win the contest.

His decision to go on fourth-and-goal from the 3 on what became the Rebels’ penultimate possession was particularly confusing, considering a field goal would have put Ole Miss up six points with about 2 minutes remaining against a Florida offense that has basically never completed such a drill since Napier was hired.

Focus now turns to Kiffin’s decision: Will he remain with the Rebels or take over the Gators? If he chooses the latter option, when will he make that call? It could, theoretically, come as early as Sunday-Tuesday considering Ole Miss is about to enter an off week with only Mississippi State standing between it and a College Football Playoff (potentially as a top-five seed).

While Kiffin beat Florida on Saturday night, this was a Gators team with an interim coach and half its starters — including many of its best players — injured. Yet Florida still took a full-strength Ole Miss team to the limit on the road one year after beating it inside Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Kiffin should take that perspective under consideration when making his decision.

The Good …

Freshman EDGE Jayden Woods made a fantastic, instinctual interception in the second quarter, creating a quick-change scenario that led to the Gators’ second touchdown of the game, a score by sophomore running back Jadan Baugh.

Sophomore linebacker Myles Graham was phenomenal with nine tackles (five solo, two for loss), a sack and a QB hurry.

Junior tight end Tony Livingston made a crucial play in the third quarter, taking a short Lagway pass 38 yards with most of that distance coming after the catch. While the play did not result in a score, it ultimately resulted in 82 yards of field position for UF, which was backed up near its own end zone.

The Gators defense stood tough in the red zone overall, especially by making two goal-line stands in the contest.

Redshirt senior punter Tommy Doman has not regularly played up to Florida’s standards for the position, but he booted a massive 62-yard punt in the game that was one of his best efforts this season.

The Bad & The Ugly

Redshirt senior EDGE Tyreak Sapp lined up offsides on a third-and-15 play in the second quarter. That negated a stoppage for Florida, giving Ole Miss a chance to not only convert third-and-10 on its next snap but score a 43-yard touchdown to take the lead.

The Rebels lucked into a fourth-and-6 conversion in which a batted ball was not only caught by its quarterback but subsequently run through two broken tackles for a first down.

On the final possession of the first half, the Gators put together one of their most successful 2-minute drills of the season. Florida moved all the way into the Ole Miss red zone with 27 seconds left only to commit a false start after a stoppage of play, leading to a 5-yard loss and 10-second runoff. UF ultimately had to settle for a 38-yard field goal by Smack to take its four-point lead at the break.

Odds & ends

Florida and Ole Miss are now tied 13-13-1 all-time, though UF has a 6-3 record in Oxford … the Gators are 0-6 away from home this season with five losses to teams ranked in the top seven … Florida’s defense has forced turnovers in 20 of the last 22 games … the Gators have given up 21+ points in seven consecutive games … Florida is 4-14 on the road since the start of Napier’s tenure (5-19 away from home) with a 4-19 mark in its last 23 true road games dating back to the prior regime … the Gators lost for just the third time when leading after the third quarter (19-3) and just the seventh time when leading at halftime (18-7) … Florida is 3-19 since Napier was hired when opponents score first, 7-24 when allowing 21+ points and 4-19 when being outrushed … the Gators are 5-19 against AP Top 25 teams since the start of Napier’s tenure, 4-14 over the last three seasons … UF Is 7-17 against top 10 teams since 2018 … Florida has lost 19 straight games against ranked opponents outside The Swamp since 2020 … the Gators have scored in 471 consecutive games, an NCAA record

What it means

While it’s not acceptable for Florida to lose with this regularity, when putting this game in perspective, the Gators had everything working against them — especially considering half of their starters (including many of the best players on both sides of the ball) are not active.

Florida has been one mistake or another away from beating two top 10 teams away from home while being led by an interim coach, despite Lagway’s inconsistent play and those aforementioned absences.

There have been plenty of weeks where Only Gators lambasted Napier and/or the team for their efforts, including mountains of mistakes and missed plays. Saturday night’s game was played on the margins. Most of the Gators did well. Most of the play calls were sound. Florida just lost.

What’s next?

Florida will play its final two games of the season at home, first hosting No. 21 Tennessee on Saturday, Nov. 22. The game will kick off at either 3:30 p.m., 7 p.m. or 7:30 p.m. and air on an ESPN-affiliated station.