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The Florida Gators took down the No. 9 Ole Miss Rebels 24-17 on Saturday at Florida Field.
That’s four consecutive home wins for the Gators (6-5, 4-4 SEC), including back-to-back victories against ranked opponents that qualified them for a bowl game.
Gators’ Red Zone Defense
In a tight game, turnovers often make the difference. That’s where Florida won the game.
Although they might not all show up on the stat sheet, the Gators forced Ole Miss (8-3, 4-3) to give up the ball six times. Three of them were in the red zone. The fourth-down defense was to thank. Two of those red zone turnovers came from run stuffs on fourth-and-one. The other was a missed field goal.
The other turnovers were more traditional. A muffed punt by Ole Miss set up the Gators in good field position, ending in a Trey Smack 53-yard field goal. Bryce Thornton then intercepted Jaxson Dart in two consecutive drives with under two minutes remaining to seal the game.
DUNK ON 'EM @Brycethornton_2
📺 ABC pic.twitter.com/jUgk5FuZpV
— Florida Gators Football (@GatorsFB) November 23, 2024
The Gator defense continues to improve. Defensive back Aaron Gates went down early in the game, adding to the four injuries in the secondary. Despite the difficulties, they were able to hold the second-ranked offense in the nation to only 17 points, only a field goal in the second half and 3.3 yards per rush.
The third-down defense was another noticeable improvement. Florida struggled on third down against LSU last week, allowing conversions on 13 of 24 attempts. This week, Ole Miss only converted three in 14 attempts.
“We started to believe, about midseason, that we could compete with any team in the country.” — UF coach Billy Napier
Seniors Show Out
The veterans on the team were a major part of the win on Senior Day.
Montrell Johnson Jr. rushed 18 times for 107 yards and the decisive touchdown in his last game in Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. The one-two punch of Johnson and freshman Jadan Baugh, who took a screen pass 25 yards for a touchdown that tied the game at 14-all, sustained the offense throughout the game.
DIRECT SNAP TO @Trellll_3. GATORS LEAD!!
📺 ABC pic.twitter.com/Keo40ArbH8
— Florida Gators Football (@GatorsFB) November 23, 2024
Receivers Chimere Dike and Elijhah Badger also had strong performances. They combined for eight receptions, 141 of the 180 team total passing yards and a TD. DJ Lagway praised their efforts by saying they make his job easy.
Jumpman, Jumpman, Jumpman, them boys up to something pic.twitter.com/0kzUx5eye8
— Florida Gators Football (@GatorsFB) November 23, 2024
Gators Going Bowling
With one of the toughest schedules in the country and low expectations after a poor start to the season, Florida has created a solid team in Napier’s third season.
The young offensive core of Lagway and Baugh coupled with the recent stellar defensive performances has made the team a force to be reckoned with in the SEC. The Gators have now won two consecutive games against ranked teams and are 4-0 in games Lagway has started and finished.
Each of the five losses came against teams ranked in the top 15 of The Associated Press rankings (Miami, Texas A&M, Tennessee, Georgia, Texas). With a little bit more luck earlier in the season, this Florida team would be a contender for the College Football Playoff. Although that goal won’t be attainable this year, the flashes shown in games like the one on Saturday give hope for the coming years.
Up Next
The Gators travel to Flordia State (2-9, 1-7 ACC) to finish the regular season Saturday. They will be large favorites over a disappointing FSU team. A victory in Tallahassee would make the winningest season in Napier’s tenure.
Kickoff on Saturday is at 7 p.m. and airing on ESPN2, ESPN 98.1-FM/850-AM WRUF.
Enjoy some highlights from our Top 10 win before bed! pic.twitter.com/HVhfANpmwS
— Florida Gators Football (@GatorsFB) November 24, 2024
