Starkville, MS
Sep 21, 2024
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Under the tremendous pressure facing Florida head coach Billy Napier, the Florida Gators rose to the occasion with a 45-28 victory over the Mississippi State Bulldogs, ending a seven-game losing streak against FBS opponents. Graham Mertz led the charge by completing 19 of 21 passes for 201 yards and three touchdowns in the first half, setting the tone early in the game.
The Gators amassed 503 yards of total offense, with 226 yards rushing and 277 passing. DJ Lagway also contributed by completing all seven of his passes for 76 yards. The Bulldogs managed 480 yards of total offense, but key turnovers and defensive lapses doomed their efforts. Austin Barber's fumble recovery touchdown in the fourth quarter swung the momentum firmly in Florida's favor, sealing the win. Mississippi State's Blake Shapen showcased his dual-threat ability, but the Bulldogs' comeback efforts fell short as Florida's balanced attack proved too potent.
Graham Mertz (Florida Gators)
Graham Mertz connected with Arlis Boardingham for a 3-yard touchdown, capping a 13-play, 84-yard drive to open the scoring for Florida.
Davon Booth (Mississippi State Bulldogs)
Davon Booth rushed for a 1-yard touchdown, tying the game at 7-7 after Mississippi State's 9-play, 62-yard drive.
Graham Mertz (Florida Gators)
Mertz found Marcus Burke for a 20-yard touchdown, putting the Gators ahead 14-7 following a methodical 7-play, 65-yard drive.
Graham Mertz (Florida Gators)
Throwing his third touchdown pass of the first half, Mertz connected with Hayden Hansen for a 35-yard strike to extend Florida's lead to 21-7.
Ja'Kobi Jackson (Florida Gators)
Ja'Kobi Jackson rushed for a 10-yard touchdown, capping a 10-play, 91-yard drive to push the score to 28-7 in favor of the Gators.
Blake Shapen (Mississippi State Bulldogs)
Blake Shapen kept the ball for a 3-yard touchdown run, wrapping up a 6-play, 75-yard drive to reduce the deficit to 28-14 just before halftime.
Blake Shapen (Mississippi State Bulldogs)
Shapen connected with Jordan Mosley for a 13-yard touchdown, concluding a 13-play, 76-yard drive and bringing the Bulldogs closer at 28-21.
Graham Mertz (Florida Gators)
Mertz rushed for a 1-yard touchdown, ending an 8-play, 75-yard drive to extend Florida's lead to 35-21.
Austin Barber (Florida Gators)
Offensive lineman Austin Barber recovered DJ Lagway's fumble in the end zone for a touchdown, solidifying Florida's lead at 42-21.
Johnnie Daniels (Mississippi State Bulldogs)
Johnnie Daniels rushed for a 10-yard touchdown, capping a 12-play, 75-yard drive to cut Florida's lead to 42-28.
Trey Smack (Florida Gators)
Trey Smack nailed a 47-yard field goal, sealing the game for Florida at 45-28 with 2:34 remaining.
Grayson Howard (Florida Gators)
Florida's Grayson Howard recovered a fumble on Mississippi State's fourth-down attempt from the 1-yard line, denying the Bulldogs a critical scoring opportunity.
Graham Mertz (Florida Gators, QB)
Mertz completed 19 of 21 passes for 201 yards and three touchdowns, setting the tone early and adding a rushing touchdown in a breakout performance.
Montrell Johnson Jr. (Florida Gators, RB)
Johnson rushed for 68 yards and added 22 receiving yards, playing a pivotal role in maintaining Florida's balanced offensive attack.
Blake Shapen (Mississippi State Bulldogs, QB)
Shapen threw for 140 yards and a touchdown, while also rushing for 32 yards and another score, despite leaving the game with an injury late in the fourth quarter.
Austin Barber (Florida Gators, OL)
Barber's fumble recovery touchdown in the fourth quarter was a game-changing moment, effectively putting the game out of reach for Mississippi State.
Trey Smack (Florida Gators, K)
Smack was perfect on all six extra points and nailed a 47-yard field goal to seal the win, contributing significantly to Florida's total score.
DJ Lagway (Florida Gators, QB)
Lagway completed all seven of his passes for 76 yards and led two scoring drives, including a 93-yard drive capped by Austin Barber's fumble recovery touchdown.
Florida vs Mississippi State Highlights | 2024 NCAA Football | College Football Week 4 - YouTube
FLORIDA VS MISSISSIPPI STATE LIVE 🏈 NCAAF COLLEGE FOOTBALL GAME SCORE - WEEK 4 - SEP 21, 2024 - YouTube
Mississippi State drops first SEC game of the season, falling to Florida 45-28 - SuperTalk Mississippi
Football vs Mississippi State on 9/21/2024 - Box Score - Florida Gators
Story Feature Box | GatorCountry.com | Page 569
Florida Gators
7
21
7
10
45
Mississippi State Bulldogs
7
7
7
7
28
