Jon Sumrall vs. Ole Miss: Round No. 3
Jon Sumrall will face a familiar opponent Saturday when No. 21 Florida hosts No. 4 Ole Miss at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.
Sumrall faced the Rebels twice last season as Tulane’s head coach. Ole Miss won the first meeting 45-10 on Sept. 20 before the teams met again three months later in the College Football Playoff. The Rebels won that matchup 41-10, halting the Green Wave’s playoff run in the first round.
Despite the history between Sumrall and Ole Miss, he said he does not view Saturday as a revenge game. Still, his experience against the Rebels could prove valuable as he is handed another opportunity, this time backed by a Florida team that has opened the season 3-0.
Florida began the year with wins over Florida Atlantic and Campbell before earning its first Southeastern Conference victory with a 44-39 win against Auburn Sept. 19. However, the Gators have yet to face a ranked opponent this season, and the No. 4 Rebels are no pushover.
The Gators’ offense has proven successful early on, led by juniors Jadan Baugh and Aaron Philo. The former leads the conference in rushing yards (458) and touchdowns (eight). Philo, Florida’s first-year quarterback, boasts a nation’s fifth-best rating of 89.4.
Baugh’s success on the ground may prove pivotal Saturday as Tulane relied on the running game in 2025, despite the effort not turning into points. The Green Wave rushed for a combined 293 yards across the two meetings, but scored just 20 points across the two games.
Ole Miss also forced Tulane in difficult situations early. The Rebels held it scoreless in the first quarter in both meetings, while their offense consistently created big plays through the air and on the ground.
Sumrall now has a different roster to work with at Florida. Baugh surpassed 100 rushing yards in each of Florida’s first three games, giving the Gators a rushing attack that can test an Ole Miss defense that has struggled against the run through three games.
Saturday also presents a high-powered attack as Florida enters the contest averaging the second-most points in the Southeastern Conference (54). The Gators have more offensive firepower than the Tulane team Sumrall brought into those matchups last season, creating a more favorable matchup for the coach.
Ole Miss has defeated its opponents by an average of 14. 3 points en route to the SEC test. They are fresh off an emotional 32-24 victory against No. 7 Louisiana State, when quarterback Trinidad Chambliss threw for 363 yards and accounted for four touchdowns.
Chambliss is another familiar face for Sumrall. In last year’s CFP contest, Chambliss threw for 282 yards and a touchdown while adding 36 yards and two more scores on the ground. Sumrall has already seen firsthand how difficult the quarterback can be to contain.
“He’s a quick thinker, he’s a quick thrower and he’s a quick mover,” Sumrall said. “This guy is as good as anybody I’ve ever played at that position.”
Sumrall has already seen what Ole Miss can do from the other sideline, but this time he has a different team around him. Now, he will try to use what he learned from those two losses to help Florida slow down the Rebels and move to 4-0 for the first time since 2019.
Category: Football, Gators Football
