Looking Ahead: Florida Gators vs. Ole Miss Rebels 2020
Despite the current unknown, the 2020 college football season is right around the corner. With that, it’s time to take a look at the biggest possibility of a trap game for the Gators this season.
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Florida Gators vs. Ole Miss Rebels
Series History:
A story of ups and downs.
Despite only facing off a total of 24 times since their inaugural matchup in 1926, the series between the Florida Gators and the Ole Miss Rebels has been a rollercoaster ride for both teams, emotionally and for predicting the victor.
With Ole Miss getting off to a hot start at 7-1-1 from 1926 to 1958, the Gators began to claw their way back within the series to tie up the overall record at nine wins apiece heading into the first matchup of the 2000s era in 2002.
From 2002 to now, the winner of this clash has been a toss-up. Going 3-2 during this period, Ole Miss currently leads the series by one win over the Gators at 12-11-1 all-time.
Despite being a game that is scheduled few and far between, it contains high intensity when these two teams suit up for battle against one another.
A Look Back:
Most recently, the Rebels and Gators squared off in 2015 with a highly anticipated matchup between top-25 teams. With Ole Miss ranked third in the nation at the time, Florida went under the lights at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium with something to prove.
At the time, starting quarterback, Will Grier was a game-time decision as he had been battling the flu the week leading up to the game. Suiting up for what would be the biggest game of his career to that point, the Gators exploded into an offensive frenzy.
Throwing four touchdown passes in the first half to four different receivers, Grier would give the Gators a 25-0 lead going into halftime, a lead they never looked back from.
Ultimately, Florida would reign victorious in upsetting a top-five team in front of the Gator faithful. With Grier going 24-29 passing on 271 yards and four touchdowns while showing significant promise before the downfall that came soon thereafter, this game is widely considered as the highlight of the Jim McElwain era in Gainesville.
A Look Ahead:
If you’re a Gators fan, you remember the loss that derailed the undefeated season which Tim Tebow and company set out to accomplish in 2008. A mark in Gators history that lives in infamy and one that could very well be repeated this upcoming season if the team is not careful.
Going into the 2020 season with the highest expectations from those around the nation in quite some time, Florida has the talent needed and a rather formidable schedule to contend for a championship. However, the Gators are faced with a daunting task in Week 7 when they travel to Oxford for the first time since 2007 to take on an up-and-coming, yet threatening Ole Miss team.
Sandwiched in between the most significant contests of Florida’s season—showdowns against LSU and Georgia—an away game in a rocking environment is no easy task.
Despite their recent struggle to stay afloat in the ultra-competitive SEC West, the addition of Lane Kiffin at the helm of the University of Mississippi books them to be a team on the rise within that region of the conference given his play-calling prowess.
As previously mentioned, in the latest showdown between the two, the Gators saw an explosive offense carry them over the No. 3-ranked Rebels. This time, the matchup could be won on the defensive side of the football for UF.
With QB in John Rhys Plumlee now entering his second year as the Ole Miss starter following an impressive true freshman campaign, the stars could align as this to be a contest that has upset written all over it.
Historically, the Gators have struggled to defend against dual-threat quarterbacks who can escape and scramble when Todd Grantham’s prided pass rush starts to collapse the pocket.
Accounting for more yards on the ground last season (1,023) than through the air (910), Plumlee brings a pressing concern to the forefront of the Gators game plan.
Likely to see Kiffin incorporating a mixture of designed running concepts along with Plumlee’s ability to hurt the Gators by improvising, the defense has to be disciplined in staying in their zone.
By week seven, UF will need to have found a replacement for the leadership and uncanny ability to be in the right spot at the right time — given his in-depth understanding of the defense — that was left by David Reese II’s departure.
Whether that be by committee or through the emergence of one linebacker like Derek Wingo, it is vital for combatting the new and improved Rebels offensive attack.
If Florida is unable to account for the rushing abilities of Plumlee, the same way they were unable to do so for Terry Wilson (105 rushing yards) when Kentucky beat them in 2018, it will bring great distress to the coaching staff and defense throughout the 60 minutes of play.
However, if they can limit the impact of the individual who is labeled as the best rushing quarterback in the SEC by many, the Gators are in a much better position to secure a win and keep their playoff hopes alive going into the bye-week.
