Florida vs. Ole Miss by the Numbers: The Great, Good and Bad

Florida continued to light up the scoreboard with a 52-28 win against Ole Miss on Saturday at The Swamp. 

Let’s take a look at the numbers and see what stood out in Florida’s first win against an Associated Press top-five team since 2020, when the Gators defeated Georgia. 

The Great: Double Trouble in Backfield

Jadan Baugh leads Florida’s ground game. Most people knew that. However, the emergence of Duke Clark behind Baugh has helped the Gators (4-0, 2-0 SEC) put up historic numbers on the ground.

This was the first time UF teammates rushed for 100 or more yards in the same game since Trevor Etienne and Montrell Johnson Jr. did so against South Carolina in 2022.

“But two 100-yard rushers is a big deal,” UF coach Jon Sumrall said. “I mean, Duke played out of his mind. He’s got all the ability in the world. He can be as good as he chooses to be.”

Baugh and Clark have increased their combined rushing total in every game this season: 180 yards against FAU, 192 against Campbell, 212 against Auburn and 262 against Ole Miss (3-1, 1-1). All while Clark has taken on a steadily growing share of the carries.

Clark accounted for 22.6% of Florida’s carries against Ole Miss, the highest share he has had in a game this season or his career.

Florida had 302 rushing yards against an Associated Press top-five team, the most in school history. It was a dominant showcase on the ground, with the Gators matching their 53 rushing attempts against Auburn.

Offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner is clearly leaning into a run-first offense, especially in the red zone. Florida’s six rushing touchdowns were its most in a game since 2023 against McNeese and its most against an FBS opponent since 2010 against Appalachian State.

Florida’s 18 rushing touchdowns are tied for the most in the FBS.

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The Good: Containing Rebels’ Offense

After struggling through the first three games of the season, Brad White’s defense delivered a strong performance against one of the best offenses and quarterbacks in the country.

This is just the second time in Ole Miss’ last 13 games that it has been held to 28 or fewer points. In fact, this is the first time during Trinidad Chambliss’ Ole Miss tenure that the Rebels have scored just six points in a half.

“And defensively, I thought we rose up, and we battled better than we’ve battled all year,” Sumrall said. “The score, I still don’t love giving up 28 points, but holding that offense to 28 is not hateful.”

The Rebels converted on just 4 of 11 third downs (36.4%) while needing an average of 7.2 yards to gain on third down, compared with 5.5 for the Gators’ offense.

When the game looked like it was heading for a shootout in the third quarter, the defense delivered. Jayden Woods forced Chambliss to fumble, and Myles Graham recovered it, creating a major momentum swing that helped seal the Gators’ victory. Florida has forced eight turnovers this season, ranking among the top-10 teams in the country in takeaways.

Once again, the secondary wasn’t perfect, but holding Chambliss to 98 passing yards in the first half was notable against a team that averages 322.5 passing yards per game.

The Bad: Buster Faulkner Leaving for Head Coaching Job?

Faulkner has transformed the Florida offense, and the rest of the country is taking notice. Through the first four games, Faulkner has established himself as one of the most impactful offensive coordinators in the country. Florida fans will have to enjoy Faulkner’s offense while it lasts, as his early success could put him in consideration for head coaching opportunities. 

Through three games, Florida was one of three teams to average more than 50 points per game. The Gators averaged 53.5 points per game, second nationally behind Georgia.

“We’ve been really efficient at scoring points per drive, points per possession this year, and if we do that, we’ll have a chance every week,” Sumrall said. “And we just have to continue to capitalize on our opportunities.”

Florida is just one touchdown away from matching its 2025 total of 28 touchdowns. What stands out even more is that the Sumrall era has produced 214 points in SEC play, 50 more than Florida’s previous record of 164 points under Dan Mullen in 2018.

This is also the first time Florida has scored at least 44 points in each of its first four games since 2001. During Billy Napier’s tenure, Florida scored at least 44 points in just five games. Under Faulkner, the Gators have reached that mark in all four games, illustrating how much the offense has changed.

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