The Rebels nearly found points on its second drive with a eight-play, 69-yard drive that found itself on the Gators' 11-yard line for a fourth-and-one. Rather than kick the field goal, Ole Miss elected to use its short-yardage package with defensive tackle JJ Pegues, who has six rushing touchdowns on the season.

Those complementary elements conspired to create a seismic shakeup of the playoff landscape. Florida’s 24-17 upset of No. 9 Ole Miss clinched a bowl berth for the hosts (6-5, 4-4 SEC) and knocked the Rebels (8-3, 4-3) from playoff contention.

Florida football pulled off its second-straight upset of a top-25 team — both Southeastern Conference peers, no less — over the Ole Miss Rebels inside Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on Saturday, giving the Gators their sixth win of the 2024 campaign and ostensibly clinching a postseason appearance.