A Look Back at the 2025 Ole Miss vs. Florida Game

In a year filled with special moments for the Ole Miss Rebels last year, there was one game that flew under the radar.

Ole Miss vs. Florida was a pivotal game for the Rebels' historic season last year. It took everything from a tired Rebels team to win the game against the Florida Gators 34-24.

The Rebels were 9-1 heading into that game and had played on 10 straight Saturdays. This was their last game before their well-needed bye week.

Florida came into this game struggling. They were 3-6 on the year, but they proved during this game that a record is just a couple of numbers, and anything can happen in the SEC on any given Saturday.

Lane Kiffin Drama

Mississippi Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin reacts with Mississippi Rebels defensive players Suntarine Perkins, Will Echoles and Kam Franklin | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

This game also came with its fair share of drama. This game took place in week 12 in the midst of the “Is head coach for the Rebels, Lane Kiffin, gonna leave" discussion. It is important to know that Kiffin was still very much liked in Oxford at this time. Two teams were in talks to take him away from the program he built, and one of them was Florida.

After a lot of the Florida Gators touchdowns in this game, their players were greeted with many one-fingered salutes from Ole Miss fans. This game carried extra weight for the people of Oxford, Mississippi.

Rebels great start

The game started off hot for the Rebels. After two drives, they were able to put up 10 points from a Kewan Lacey rushing touchdown and Lucas Carnerio's chip-shot field goal.

The Gators then stormed back after a deep ball from their quarterback D.J. Lagway. This set up a rushing touchdown for the quarterback a few plays later. The next drive for the Rebels then ended abruptly when quarterback Trinidad Chambliss threw a rare pick. This set up the Gators inside the Rebels' own 10.

The Gators then capitalized on the mistake and drove the ball in the endzone with a rushing touchdown from running back Jadan Baugh to put them up 14-10.

The Rebels then struck back with a 43-yard touchdown strike from Chambliss to wide receiver De’Zhaun Stribling. Putting the Rebels back on top.

The Gators then responded again quickly with a deepshot touchdown pass to put them up 21-17.

The Rebels then drove all the way down the field and thought they scored another touchdown when Chambliss scrambled around to find Stribling for what would have been his second touchdown of the game. This play was called back, however, because of an illegal man down the field. The Rebels settled for three and were down by one.

The Gators then got down the field quickly as the first half was coming to an end and were able to sneak in a field goal as the clock was winding down. Florida was up 24-20 going into halftime.

This was a rare sight for the Rebels. To be down against a struggling team at half. It was new territory for that Rebels team that season.

Magic man Chambliss

The Rebels then came out of the second half and found themselves on a crucial fourth and six just on the Gators' side of the field. Kiffin kept the offense on the field, and Chambliss pulled a rabbit out of the hat to get the Rebels a huge first down.

Dropping back on the fourth and six, Chambliss’s pass was batted at the line right back to him. He had the presence of mind to take off and run with it for the first down.

Just like the Rebels had drawn it up.

Things looked to be heading in the Rebels' direction. However, they got to a fourth-and-goal on the one-yard line, and Chamliss turned the ball over to the Gators after an errant throw.

After all that, the Gators still led 24-20.

The Rebels' defense stood strong on the next drive and got the ball back to the offense, allowing no points to the Gators.

After back-to-back quick drives from the Rebels and the Gators, the Rebels found themselves on their own 20-yard line with a minute left to go in the third quarter, down four.

After a few plays on offense, Kewan Lacey then busted a 59-yard run up the middle to set the Rebels up on the Gators' one-yard line.

Fourth Quarter

The roar of the Rebels crowd after that play carried into the fourth quarter. The Rebels started the fourth quarter with a one-yard touchdown from Lacey.

After multiple clutch stops from the Rebels' defense, including an interception from Wydett Williams. The Rebels then sealed the game with Lacey's third rushing touchdown of the game with less than two minutes remaining.

Ironically, as the clock hit triple zeros, the Rebel fans then snapped their belts together and chanted “we want Lane”. A hard-fought win for the Rebels that would go down as an important chapter for the Rebels' 2025-26 semifinal run.

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