Coach Billy Napier and his team achieved something Florida hadn’t done in nearly 20 years, marking a potential turning point for a program that had struggled in recent years.
DJ Lagway threw two touchdown passes, Montrell Johnson ran for 127 yards and a touchdown, and the Gators shocked No. 9 Mississippi with a 24-17 win on Saturday, eliminating the Rebels from College Football Playoff contention.
Florida (6-5, 4-4 Southeastern Conference), which beat LSU in the Swamp last Saturday, secured back-to-back wins over ranked teams for the first time since 2008.
“We’re just getting started,” said Napier, who is expected to return for a fourth season in 2025. “This is part of the big-picture journey. Belief is the most powerful thing in the world.”
Ole Miss (8-3, 4-3), a 10-point favorite, lost for the first time in four games and will fall out of the 12-team playoff picture. The Rebels, ranked ninth in the latest CFP, only needed to avoid losing to Florida and Mississippi State to secure a playoff spot.
“Obviously a lot was at stake, and we didn’t come through,” coach Lane Kiffin said. “A lot of missed opportunities.”
The Rebels failed to score on three trips inside the red zone and dropped several passes in perfect weather, mistakes Kiffin called “very unusual.”
Ole Miss still had chances in the final moments, but Jaxson Dart threw interceptions on the team’s last two drives. Bryce Thornton, who was beaten for a touchdown in the first half, intercepted both passes. The second pick came with 17 seconds left and set off a wild celebration by the Florida defense in the end zone.
Dart completed 24 of 41 passes for 323 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions. He was sacked four times and also scrambled 14 times for a team-high 71 yards.
“You look at the way we played, we had a chip on our shoulder for sure,” said defensive tackle Cam Jackson.
Ole Miss would likely have been ahead comfortably if not for repeated mistakes inside the 20-yard line. Defensive tackle J.J. Pegues, a 325-pound force, was stopped twice on fourth-down runs inside the 20, and Caden Davis missed a 34-yard field goal in the second quarter.
The Rebels also had several drops, including at least three that would likely have been touchdowns. Jordan Watkins (twice), Wells (twice), Dae’Quan Wright, and star receiver Tre Harris were among the players who dropped passes.
Florida was more effective. Lagway completed 10 of 17 passes for 180 yards, with one interception. He made three crucial throws with defenders all over him.
“Those were the plays of the game,” Napier said.
Johnson had some key plays as well. His 9-yard touchdown run from the wildcat formation was crucial, especially after missing the last four games.
“I focused on grinding and trying to work my way back,” Johnson said. “Last week I got a couple carries, and this week I shot to the moon.”
