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Florida Surges Into CFP Conversation After Beating Ole Miss
Developing
In Short: Florida's surge into the College Football Playoff conversation continues after a decisive win over Ole Miss.
Florida's Jon Sumrall is now aiming to become the first SEC coach in history to lead his team to the College Football Playoff in his first season, joining a select group of four other first-year coaches from the Power Five conferences.
Sumrall noted his players were 'a little bit over-amped' after a failed fourth-down attempt at the end of the first quarter, but the team's performance improved significantly thereafter.
The Gators' impressive showing, led by Heisman candidate Jadan Baugh, has them looking like a legitimate contender in early season CFP discussions.
Ole Miss entered the game with the SEC's worst rush defense, a statistic that held true as Florida dominated on the ground.
Sumrall's team had previously lost 12 straight games against top-tier opponents, but Saturday's victory marked a significant turnaround.
What this adds
Ole Miss running back Kewan Lacy's status for the game was uncertain due to a shoulder injury, but this did not significantly impact the outcome.
Sumrall's earlier comments about being favored against Ole Miss, joking about 'a lot of good drugs out there,' highlight the unexpected nature of Florida's success.
Background
Ole Miss running back Kewan Lacy's status for Saturday's game against Florida remains uncertain after sustaining a shoulder injury during the team's victory over LSU.
Florida Gators head coach Jon Sumrall expressed surprise at his team being favored against Ole Miss, joking about 'a lot of good drugs out there,' when told of the 3.5-point spread.
What's still developing
- Sumrall said his players looked "a little bit over-amped" after the first quarter ended with a failed fourth-and-2 conversion try at the Rebels' 19-yard line.
- He'd join four others across the Power Four to accomplish that feat, but would make history as the first from the SEC.
- The Gators had lost their previous 12 matchups against the nation's elite, and Sumrall joked that, coming into Saturday's showdown, his team has no business being favored against the Rebels.
- Ole Miss entered Week 4 with the SEC's worst rush defense, giving up 159 yards per game, and nothing changed inside Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.
- That's part of the new identity Sumrall mentioned earlier this week.