Florida’s Jadan Baugh rushed for a career-high 150 yards and a score, and defensive lineman Michai Boireau intercepted a pass with 21 seconds left to preserve the embattled Gators’ 23-21 win over the Mississippi State Bulldogs on Saturday in Gainesville, Fla.
With Mississippi State (4-3, 0-3 Southeastern Conference) driving for a potential game-winning field goal, Boireau dropped into coverage and grabbed his first career interception to seal the win.
With social media rumors swirling about the possible firing of coach Billy Napier, the Gators (3-4, 2-2) nearly squandered a 23-14 fourth-quarter lead.
Florida’s DJ Lagway was 20-of-34 passing for 280 yards and two interceptions. Vernell Brown III had five receptions for 95 yards.
Mississippi State QB Blake Shapen was 24-of-36 passing for 324 yards and the costly interception as the Bulldogs lost their third straight game and 15th straight in the SEC dating back to October 2023.
Davon Booth rushed for 105 yards on 22 carries with two TDs. Brenen Thompson had seven receptions for 155 yards, while Anthony Evans III had a game-high 11 catches for 107 yards.
The visitors opened with an impressive drive to open the game, traveling 75 yards in eight plays. On 3rd-and goal, Komario Taylor, the squad’s backup quarterback, kept the ball and scooted around the right corner at 12:18 for a 7-0 lead.
Lagway and the Gators had a strong answer, but his third-down throw was ruled incomplete in the end zone. Trey Smack followed with a 24-yard field goal at 8:55.
Baugh ran wide to the right and rambled 19 yards to paydirt early in the second quarter to conclude a 69-yard drive.
The Gators appeared to be set to add on after Brown’s 50-yard catch, but Brylan Lanier picked off Lagway on the next play for the first of his two second-quarter interceptions.
Smack’s 54-yard boot pushed the lead to 13-7 at 3:08, but another good drive ended with another Lanier pick.
To end Florida’s most impressive drive, KD Daniels’ short TD run from the Wildcat formation finished off a 93-yard drive at 13:41 to put the home side up two scores in the fourth quarter, but Booth scored at 11:57 to make it 20-14.
Smack made a 53-yard kick at 6:49, but Booth’s second TD made it 23-21 before Boireau’s game-saving pick.
–Field Level Media
