Instant Takeaways: Ole Miss Football Escapes in 34-24 Win Over Florida Gators

Lane Kiffin and Co. escape in Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, hold off the Gators in a Week 12 thriller.

Nov 15, 2025; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin stands on the sideline during the first quarter against the Florida Gators at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

No. 6 Ole Miss (10-1, 6-1 SEC) escaped the Florida Gators in a 34-24 win on Saturday night at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium after earning the SEC victory.

Behind a historic night from Rebels running back Kewan Lacy, Ole Miss captured a Week 12 win in order to further cement the program's College Football Playoff chances.

Lacy dominated the Gators on the ground, Trinidad Chambliss controlled the pace in the passing game, and the defense bent, but didn't break on Saturday night in Oxford.

The Instant Takeaways: Week 12 Edition

No. 1: Quarterback Battle in "The Vaught"

On a night where Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambiss and Florida signal-caller DJ Lagway battled it out on the gridiron, it was the Rebels' leader that made the critical plays down the stretch to earn the win.

Chambliss made timely plays in crunch time - after overcoming an interception and uncharacteristic miss on fourth down in the third quarter - to lift the Rebels to a thrilling win in Oxford.

The Rebels' signal-caller ended the day going 26-for-35 through the air with 301 passing yards with a touchdown to lead Ole Miss to a critical SEC victory.

Courtesy of Ole Miss Rebels Football.

On the other side, it was Lagway that kept his Gators within striking distance in the fourth quarter after utilizing his dual-threat abilities across all four frames.

The sophomore quarterback logged over 240 all-purpose yards with 218 of them coming through the air on 16-for-31 passing.

It was a quarterback duel in Oxford on Saturday night with Chambliss and Co. making the most of their opportunities in the second half.

No. 2: The "Kewan Lacy Game" in Oxford

In his first year with the Ole Miss Rebels, Kewan Lacy has become the X-factor on offense that the program has been searching for as he continues rewriting the history books in the Magnolia State.

Lacy broke the single-season touchdown record on Saturday after recording his 17th score of the season - passing ex-Rebels Quinshon Judkins in the history books.

But the Ole Miss running back showcased sheer dominance in Week 12 against the Gators after tallying a whopping 224 rushing yards on 31 carries [7.2 yards per attempt] with three touchdowns on the night.

Courtesy of Ole Miss Rebels Football.

Lacy was jaw-dropping against the Gators with Florida's run-defense unable to find an answer for Lacy and the rushing attack.

Ole Miss eclipsed the 235-yard mark on the ground against Florida with Lacy spearheading the push.

In total, the Rebels pieced together 538 yards of offense [301 passing and 237 rushing] with 6.5 yards per play. It was offensive clinic in Oxford.

On the other side, Florida logged 326 total yards of offense [218 passing and 108 rushing] with 5.7 yards per play.

No. 3: Risky Business for Lane Kiffin

Ole Miss decision-maker Lane Kiffin isn't shy when it comes to taking a shot downfield or making the "risky" move on the gridiron.

Fast forward to Saturday night at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium and Kiffin's game plan worked to near perfection against the Gators - specifically on fourth down.

Courtesy of Ole Miss Rebels Football.

The Rebels offense went 4-for-7 on fourth down against Florida where Kiffin continued delivering blow after blow to the Gators defense after keeping them on the field.

It was a shaky night for Ole Miss on third down after going 6-for-16, but four strong fourth down conversions kept the Rebels on the field - ultimately paving the way for the go ahead score where Kiffin and Co. never looked back.

No. 6 Ole Miss controls its own destiny with one game remaining on the docket against the Mississippi State Bulldogs on Nov. 28. The Rebels will navigate an open date next week with the season finale the following week.

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