Gators Outlast Mississippi State With Game-Winning Pick

Florida looked like it was about to blow another fourth-quarter lead. Michai Boireau had other ideas.

Florida Gators running back Jadan Baugh rushed for a career-high 150 yards. | Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

GAINESVILLE, Fla.-- The Florida Gators looked like they were about to blow another game in the fourth quarter. Michai Boireau had something else in mind.

Florida, holding on to a tight 23-21 lead against Mississippi State, were in danger of yet another close, questionable loss.

Florida had a chance to seal the win, but facing 3rd-and-1 from their own 34-yard line, the Gators elected to run a play-action pass, and DJ Lagway was sacked. Mississippi State went on a seven-play, 43-yard drive, destined to kick a game-winning field goal after missing a field goal earlier in the game.

Enter Boireau, who jumped a pass from his defensive tackle spot for an interception off Blake Shapen, giving the Gators a much-needed win.

FLORIDA DEFENSIVE LINEMAN PICKS OFF MISS STATE TO SEAL A 23-21 VICTORY ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/Y4xBVXXICc

— CFB Kings (@CFBKings) October 18, 2025

Boireau played the hero at the end, but a career day from running back Jadan Baugh and clutch kicking from Trey Smack kept the Gators ahead.

Baugh rushed for a career-high 150 yards, his third 100-yard game of the season, with one touchdowns, while Smack drilled a trio of field goals, including two from over 50 yards.

A 53-yard field goal gave Florida a nine-point lead with 6:49 left in the game, a score that proved crucial as Mississippi State scored a touchdown with 2:32 left in the game, but were ultimately unable to overtake the Gators.

Mississippi State opened the game with an eight-play, 75-yard touchdown drive, which included a 48-yard pass from Blake Shapen to Anthony Evans III on the game's second play. Backup quarterback Kamario Taylor scored from two yards out on 3rd-and-goal to put the Bulldogs on the board.

Florida answered with a scoring drive of their own, but after three-straight incomplete passes in goal-to-go territory, including a questionable incomplete pass on a third-down throw from Lagway to Hayden Hansen, the Gators were forced to settle for a field goal.

Smack's 24-yard kick cut the deficit to 7-3.

While Florida took the lead in the second quarter after a 19-yard touchdown rush by Jadan Baugh, the Gators had a pair of self-inflicted wounds that ended scoring opportunities.

Lagway, after hitting Vernell Brown III for a 50-yard completion, threw an interception on a touchdown-attempting throw to Hansen. A drive later, a 60-yard touchdown rush by Baugh was negated by a holding call on Eugene Wilson III.

It was Florida's fourth touchdown called back due to a penalty this season.

Smack eventually kicked a 54-yard field goal after a delay-of-game and then a personal foul on Damieon George Jr. to give the Gators a 13-7 lead late in the first half. The series of miscues resulted in "Fire Billy" chants inside Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.

Mississippi State failed to answer despite a 47-yard pass from Shapen as the Bulldogs missed a 41-yard field goal, but Lagway threw his second interception on the ensuing drive, essentially ending the half.

RB1 doing his thing 💥@1vibesjay gives the Gators the lead. pic.twitter.com/xOhQDUtkMS

— Florida Gators Football (@GatorsFB) October 18, 2025

While shutout for the entire third quarter, the Gators found success late in the frame as Lagway hit J. Michael Sturdivant for a 19-yard completion and TJ Abrams for a 26-yard completion to put the Gators in scoring position.

KD Daniels capped off the drive with a one-yard score to put Florida up 20-7 with 13:41 left in the game, and after Mississippi State answered with a touchdown to make it a six-point game, Smack drilled a 53-yard field goal to give the Gators a 23-14 lead.

Mississippi State, once again, quickly drove down the field with a five-play, 65-yard touchdown drive capped off by another short touchdown by Booth, cutting Florida's lead to two with 2:32 left to round out the scoring.

Florida is off next week with its second bye of the season before facing rival Georgia in Jacksonville on Nov. 1 with the main question being if Napier will be the head coach against the Bulldogs.