FINAL: Florida 52, Ole Miss 28

What Happened

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Tailbacks Jadan Baugh and Duke Clark mauled the Ole Miss defense on the ground, each rumbling to 100-yard rushing games to lead 21st-ranked and unbeaten Florida to a statement-making 52-28 defeat of fourth-ranked Ole Miss before a fever-pitched sellout crowd Saturday at Spurrier/Florida Field.

Baugh, the 6-foot-1, 225-pound junior, carried 29 times for 142 yards and scored three touchdowns, while the 6-2, 208-pound sophomore Clark rushed 12 times for 126 yards and a score. By day's end, the Gators had rumbled for 302 yards on the ground and posted 498 yards of total offense in defeating the highest-ranked opponent since manhandling No. 3 Ole Miss 38-10 in the "Swamp" in 2015.

UF third-year sophomore quarterback Aaron Philo completed 16 of 23 throws for 142 yards, one touchdown and rushed for another score, emerging victorious against Rebels counterpart and Heisman Trophy candidate Trinidad Chambliss. Mississippi's magician, just a week removed from a magnificent performance in his team's emotional home win over former Coach Lane Kiffin and LSU, connected on 25 of 34 throws for 298 yards and two scores, while also rushing seven times for 44 yards and a pair of TDs.

On this day, one of the most electric for the Florida program in more than a decade, Chambliss needed a lot more.

It would appear Coach Jon Sumrall has something going here.

The Florida offense built an early 14-point lead and scored touchdowns on its first five possessions of the second half on the way to hitting the 50-point milestone against a league opponent for the first time since 2020. Ole Miss managed to crank out 426 yards of total offense, but the UF defense made Chambliss mostly work for his real estate and forced him into a pair of second-half turnovers, including a huge momentum-shifting sack/fumble by sophomore edge rusher Jayden Woods that his offensive mates took advantage of, allowing the Gators to put some distance on the scoreboard.

The only downer of the day was the loss of wide receiver Vernell Brown III to a first-half knee injury that held him out for the balance. Brown's teammates picked him up.

The Gators built a 17-6 halftime advantage, but the margin should have been more. They turned the ball over on downs deep in Rebels' territory, had a 67-yard catch-and-run touchdown by Brown called back and Philo overthrew a wide-open Brown on a bomb in the second quarter. The missed opportunities did not come back to bite them.

After driving 65 yards in eight plays on the game's opening series, with Baugh crashing across with a 4-yard score, the UF defense stuffed Mississippi tailback JT Lindsey on a fourth-and-1 gamble from the Rebels' 35, setting the Florida offense up for another score. The UF drive, though, was three consecutive incompletions, leaving matters to kicker Patrick Durkin, who put the Gators ahead 10-0 with a 39-yard field goal.

Ole Miss got on the board five minutes into the second half, thanks in great part to the Gators. Just after the long Brown TD was nullified, a fair catch interference penalty started the Rebels' first possession of the second period at the UF 48. On first down, a Makhi Frazier run of 16 yards was topped with a 15-yard face mask penalty. The Florida defense, though, managed to limit the damage, with Lucas Carneiro booting a 36-yard field goal to make the score 10-3.

UF answered with an impressive 15-play, 87-yard drive, converting a trio of third downs along the way and getting a break deep into the march. On third-and-8 at the Ole Miss 25, Philo tried to hit Bailey Stockton on a slant, but Stockton was rocked on a hit by safety Joenell Aguero. The ball popped high in the air and was caught by UF's TJ Abrams at the 15. That was enough for a first down, with Aguero also being flagged for targeting to move the ball to the Mississippi 5. Baugh finished things two snaps later from two yards out, giving Florida a 17-3 lead.

Carneiro's 46-yard field goal made it 17-6 at the break.

The Rebels got the second-half kickoff and Chambliss went to work. He needed just five plays to go 80 yards, thanks to a 49-yard bomb to Horatio Fields, with Chambliss finishing with an 8-yard scoring run that had the "Swamp" a tad unsettled.

Not for long.

UF's London Montgomery, on kick-return duty for the injured Brown, put the Gators in business with a 41-yard runback. After two 7-yard runs by Baugh, Clark broke off a 45-yard touchdown run to make it 24-14.

Chambliss went back to work. He moved the Rebels 74 yards in 14 plays, along the way converting three third downs and one on fourth. He scored on a 10-yard run to make it 24-21.

Again, not for long. And, again, it was Montgomery setting up his teammates. He took the ensuing kickoff 74 yards to the Missisippi 26, with Philo scoring on a 1-yard keeper just two plays later for a 31-21 lead.

Then came the defensive play the Gators sorely needed. On third-and-5, Woods beat his man off the left side, sacked Chambliss for the first time and forced a fumble that was recovered by Myles Graham at the UF 43. The Florida offense needed seven plays to take advantage. Wideout Dallas Wilson scored on a 6-yards for a 38-21 lead with 13:38 to go.

Chambliss wasn't going anywhere, however. He hit passes of 21, 9 and 32 yards to reach the UF 2, where he threw a touchdown to Deuce Alexander to close the margin back to 10 at 38-28.

Back came that Florida running game. After a defensive pass interference penalty, Clark busted a 44-yard run to the Ole Miss 5, where Philo hit Amir Jackson for a touchdown and 45-28 lead with 9:19 remaining. The Gators added another eight-play, 63-yard drive later in the quarter that Baugh finished with a 2-yard run.

**Jadan Baugh** (13) celebrates the first of his three touchdowns Saturday. (Photo: **Hannah White**/UAA Communications)

What it Means

UF has won its first two games in SEC play for the first time since 2019. Bigger than that, the Gators most certainly have entered the national conversation by beating up on their second consecutive league opponent. The fourth win (in as many games) this season matches the victory total from all of 2025.

In the Spotlight

Baugh became just the third player in program history (joining Emmitt Smith and Fred Taylor) to rush for at least 100 yards in five consecutive games, his streak bridging two seasons and dating to last November's 266-yard performance against Florida State. In those five games, he's averaged 173.2 yards and totaled 13 touchdowns. With Clark joining in the 100-yard fun Saturday, the two became the first UF duo to rush for at least 100 yards in a game since Montrell Johnson Jr. (161 yards) and Trevor Etienne (100) did it against South Carolina in 2022.

Staggering Statistic

The Gators came into the game averaging 54.0 points and 544.3 yards per game, with two of those outings against outmanned Florida Atlantic and FCS-classified Campbell. In two SEC games, the Gators are at 48.0 points and 466.5 yards, including 272.5 on the ground.

Up Next

Florida (4-0, 2-0) is back on the SEC road with a date at No. 19 Missouri (3-0, 0-0). The Tigers opened their conference slate Saturday night at 24th-ranked Mississippi State. The series between UF and Mizzou stands at 6-6 since the Tigers joined the SEC in 2012, including a 2-4 record at Columbia. Ole Miss (3-1, 1-1) is at Vanderbilt.

Email senior writer Chris Harry at chrish@gators.ufl.edu Find his story archives here.

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