Florida Suffers Key Injuries in Win Against Ole Miss
Florida’s 52-28 win against No. 4 Ole Miss brought forth a bevy of positives, including a continued rushing onslaught and insertion of the Gators into the College Football Playoff conversation, according to ESPN’s Heather Dinich.
However, some important losses affected UF (4-0, 2-0 SEC) on the offensive end among the roaring atmosphere.
Florida wide receiver Vernell Brown III was one of Aaron Philo’s two wide receiver targets to leave the top-five win against the Rebels (3-1) on Saturday. Shortly after a 6-yard gain on a jet sweep, Brown exited the contest with under six minutes remaining in the second quarter.
The Gator legacy and sophomore standout suffered a knee injury on the play, with Brown not returning for any snaps in the second half. Brown’s day ended with three catches for 25 yards.
“Nothing’s substantial, nothing’s torn, but just wasn’t quite confident in cutting it loose there after he tweaked it there late in the second quarter,” Gators coach Jon Sumrall said. “Feel pretty good about him being available, but it’s too early to know.”
Losing Brown would certainly hamper an offense that has scored 40-plus points in each of its first four games, marking the first time since 2001 that a Florida team has done so. In offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner’s fast-paced offense, Brown has taken his abilities to a new level after showing promise as a freshman.
The Gainesville native has caught 14 passes for 246 yards and two touchdowns in 2026, along with five punt returns for 173 yards and two touchdowns. A further update on his status, starting next Saturday at No. 19 Missouri (3-1, 0-1), is expected Monday morning.
Brown was not the only Gators receiver to go down, with another exiting in far more shocking fashion.
Georgia Tech transfer Bailey Stockton took the receiving end of a brutal targeting spear to the neck and back area from Rebels’ safety Joenel Aguero not long after Brown’s exit from the game. Aguero was ejected from the game for his helmet-crown hit and Stockton limped off the field with his arms wrapped around the medical training staff assisting him to the sideline before waiting outside the medical tent while Brown received medical attention.
Stockton returned with a 9-yard catch in the final minute of the third quarter, but only saw limited action in the second half.
“He took a pretty significant shot to his back. Doesn’t look like anything that should keep him out long term,” Sumrall said. “He just wasn’t quite himself, and so didn’t play a whole lot there in the second half.”
While Florida entered mostly healthy but lost two of its top talents in the second quarter, the injuries made way for a surprising return. After hurting his ankle on Florida’s first offensive drive in the 66-21 win against FAU, wide receiver Eric Singleton Jr. landed on the injury report for the following three weeks.
Singleton, a game-time decision heading into the matchup, got clearance and played a deep-threat decoy, but made a 38-yard catch late in the fourth quarter for his only catch. The return was a good sign for one of Florida’s highest-ranked transfers who came off a 2025 season headlined by 58 receptions for 534 yards and three touchdowns for Auburn.
“Singleton, being a true game-time decision, had a huge impact in the game,” Sumrall said. “I’m really proud of him because he really didn’t practice a lot this week. He’s a tough dude.”
Singleton will aim to practice further with the intent of starting against Missouri. If Brown and/or Stockton are unavailable to face the Tigers, expect a larger workload for receivers Dallas Wilson, TJ Abrams and Micah Mays Jr. to replace the production.
Coverage from Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium in Columbia begins at 12:30 p.m. Saturday on WRUF 98.1-FM/850-AM/103.7 HD2 and at 3:30 p.m. on ABC.
Category: Gator Sports, Gators Football
