GAINESVILLE, Fla. — In his postgame press conference, Ole Miss football coach Lane Kiffin expressed frustration over the team’s 24-17 loss to Florida on Saturday, citing a series of missed opportunities that contributed to the defeat. “We gave Florida a lot of missed opportunities,” Kiffin remarked. “We went 0-for-3 in the red zone, failed to capitalize on a missed field goal, were stopped twice on fourth downs, and lost the turnover battle in a challenging environment.”
This upset likely dashed Ole Miss’ hopes of making the College Football Playoff, marking the third loss for the No. 9 Rebels this season. Similar to previous narrow defeats against Kentucky and LSU, this game was tightly contested and highlighted the team’s struggles in close matchups. The Rebels now hold an 8-3 record overall and 4-3 in the SEC, but their losses have been by a mere total of 13 points. In contrast, their eight wins have come with a staggering aggregate margin of 284 points, showcasing a stark difference between high-performance and tightly contested situations.
When asked why Ole Miss struggles in close games despite having a talented roster, including All-American quarterback Jaxson Dart and a formidable defense, Kiffin commented, “It’s football; losing close games happens. The year before, we had the opposite experience where many close games went our way.”
Kiffin also pinpointed specific factors that led to the loss against Florida (6-5, 4-4 SEC). “They were 2-for-2 in the red zone. We were 0-for-3,” he noted, detailing critical missteps including two turnovers on downs in the red zone and a missed 34-yard field goal by kicker Caden Davis. Dart, who threw for 323 yards and two touchdowns while also rushing for 71 yards, acknowledged the team’s missed opportunities and expressed regret for the back-to-back interceptions that sealed the game’s outcome. “We had opportunities and didn’t take advantage of them,” said Dart. “It sucks to lose these games.”
Despite the disappointment, there is a silver lining for Ole Miss as they continue to build a competitive team. Understanding the issues in close games can guide the players to improve and learn from these experiences, laying a more solid foundation for the future.
In summary, while Ole Miss faces challenges in converting close games into victories, the team still possesses the talent and potential to turn these lessons into future success. With continued resilience and development, the Rebels can aim for redemption in the remaining games of the season.