Florida Shocks No. 9 Ole Miss 24-17 in The Swamp

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The No. 9 Ole Miss Rebels (8-3, 4-3 Southeastern Conference) fell to the Florida Gators (6-5, 4-4 SEC) on Nov. 23 at The Swamp in Gainesville, Fla. 24-17. Florida quarterback DJ Lagway threw for two touchdowns and running back Montrell Johnson Jr. rushed for 127 yards and a TD. But the game was tight late in the fourth quarter.

With 1:32 left in the game and down by 7 points, Rebels' QB Jaxson Dart threw into triple coverage, resulting in an end-zone interception. Florida ran out most of the clock in its ensuing possession, but there was still time on the game clock. The Rebels got the ball back for one more shot. But Dart threw another INT, solidifying the win for the Gators.

Ole Miss at Florida Game Summary

The Gators struck first, scoring a TD on an 11-play, 89-yard drive. The Rebels answered with a 7-play, 75-yard drive to put 7 points on the board and a 7-7 tie. Lagway threw an INT on the following drive, giving Ole Miss a short field. Ole Miss took advantage, scoring a TD on a 55-yard, 5-play drive. The Gators tied the game with 6:52 left in the second half for a 14-14 score. After a missed field goal by the Rebels, the half ended at 14-14.

Florida's offense got off to a disastrous start in the second half. The Gators were forced to punt from their own 19-yard line. The 39-yard punt was fielded and fumbled by Ole Miss' Micah Davis, recovered by Florida's DJ Douglas. The Gators scored a field goal to reclaim the lead, 17-14. The Rebels added a field goal later in the game, tying the game at 17-17. Lagway connected with WR Chimere Dike for 41 yards, setting up a Johnson 9-yard rushing TD 7:40 left in the fourth quarter. That made it 24-17 Florida, setting up the closing fourth-quarter plays that gave the Gators their victory.

Ole Miss star WR Tre Harris went out of the game in the second quarter with an apparent groin injury. Harris' only catch went for 43 yards and a TD. With Harris on the field for the entirety of the game things might have ended differently for the Rebels. Safety Yam Banks was carted off the field after suffering a left knee injury.

Turning Point

Lagway threw an absolute dart to Dike for 41 yards midway through the fourth quarter. That put the Gators in scoring position. Johnson punched it in from 9 yards out for the game-winning TD.

What it Means

With the win, the Gators are now bowl-eligible. Head coach Billy Napier, who started the season on the hot seat, has pulled off two upsets in two weeks. He's cemented his place as Florida's head coach. The Gators next face in-state rival Florida State (1-9, 1-7 Atlantic Coast Conference) in Tallahassee, Fla. on Nov. 30. With a win over the Seminoles, the Gators will reach their highest win total under Napier.

The Rebels are now essentially eliminated from the CFP. With the win over No. 10 Georgia (6-2, 9-2), head coach Lane Kiffin and the Rebels showed they could win the big game. This loss proves that no one is safe in the SEC. Kiffin's tendency to go for it on fourth down hurt his team in this one as they turned the ball over on downs twice in the red zone. This is a disappointing development for a season with so much promise for the Rebels. Ole Miss faces in-state rival Mississippi State (2-8, 0-6) next in the Egg Bowl on Nov. 29.