By Elijah Klepczyk
Emmerich Newspapers
Ole Miss fell to Florida 52‑28 last weekend in its first true road game of the season. The Gators were the third top‑25 opponent the Rebels faced in their first four games, and this time they couldn’t find a way to pull out the win.
“That was an old-fashioned butt woopin right there,” head coach Pete Golding said of the game. Florida rushed for more than 300 yards and scored five touchdowns on the ground. Golding pointed to missed tackles as the biggest issue, adding that with a bye week ahead, it will be a major point of emphasis.
Conversely, the Rebels managed just 128 rushing yards, with Trinidad Chambliss leading the team with 44. Star tailback Kewan Lacy — a game‑time decision — ultimately sat out with the shoulder injury he suffered last week, a factor that likely contributed to Ole Miss’ struggles on the ground.
“I don't want them to get this taste out of their mouth,” Golding said about the loss heading into the bye week. He said he wants his team to remember this loss, and to use it as fuel moving forward in their grueling SEC slate.
The bye week however could grant Ole Miss some reprieve from their difficult start. With injuries piling up, and their physicality being tested for four straight weeks, it will give the Rebels some time to refocus.
Chambliss was a major bright spot for the Rebels against the Gators, who finished with 298 passing yards and three touchdowns, two of which he carried in himself.
He was largely responsible for giving Ole Miss a great chance to dig themselves out of a 17-6 first-half hole. Chambliss marched the offense right down the field to start the third quarter, and with a converted two-point pass to Horatio Fields, they cut the deficit to 17-14. Florida responded with a touchdown of their own, but Chambliss still seemed undeterred as he orchestrated another 74-yard drive to draw within three again.
The Gators responded with another score, and then got a strip sack on Chambliss in their ensuing drive, and turned that turnover into another touchdown to take a 38-21 lead, and put the Rebels in desperation mode.
Golding said that is when the game got out of hand, as the staff had to call more aggressive plays to try and close the gap, Florida was able to counter punch and protect their lead. Chambliss was able to find Deuce Alexander one last time in the fourth quarter on a 2-yard pass, but the Gators controlled it from there on out and put the game away.
After the bye-week Ole Miss will visit Nashville for the second time this season to take on the Vanderbilt Commodores on Oct. 10. Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m. and it will be televised on ESPN.
