London Montgomery isn’t just a factor at the national collegiate football level, he’s the SEC Special Teams Player of the Week after absolutely shredding Ole Miss in Florida’s massive 52-28 win last week. This guy, a former dynamic high school running back, proved he belongs on the big stage with two electrifying kickoff returns that swung momentum hard.
The Game-Changing Strikes That Shut Down the Rebs
Against Ole Miss, Montgomery was a straight-up menace on special teams. He returned three kickoffs for a ridiculous 128 yards, including a 74-yard burst that was the best for the Gators since Solomon Patten way back in 2013. You could feel the shift in the game every time he touched the ball. Ole Miss tried to claw their way back, closing the gap to 17-14 early in the third quarter. What happened next? Montgomery took the ensuing kickoff back to the Florida 41, setting up Duke Clark for a touchdown run that pushed the lead right back to 24-14. That’s clutch.
Montgomery gave full credit to his crew, saying, “The wedge did a fantastic job of setting that up. It was just wide. They blocked it out, and they pinned their guys. I ran through. I hadn’t seen the kicker. I tried to, we say, treat the kickers with disrespect, and I tried to run him over, but it didn’t work out too well. It was a good return to get the offense started, so I was excited about that.”
When Ole Miss scored again to make it 24-21, Montgomery answered the bell yet again, flashing that PIAA-medal-winning speed for a 74-yard sprint to the Ole Miss 26. Just three plays later, Florida quarterback Aaron Philo punched it in from a yard out. Montgomery admitted he didn’t expect another kick his way, but when he got it, “the wedge did a fantastic job. Everybody got their block. I had to make the kicker miss, and there was just that sideline. I had to use my speed to get there. Without the guys blocking, I wouldn’t have been able to do that.” That’s team ball, right there. Florida then dominated the rest of the way, outscoring Ole Miss 21-7 to seal a real statement win.
More Than Just Returns: Florida’s Deep Offense Faces a Tough Road Test
Montgomery might be lighting up the return game, but he’s also part of a super deep running back room at Florida. We’re talking about Heisman Trophy candidate Jaden Baugh, who’s already racked up 605 yards, and Duke Clark, with 263 yards of his own. That Baugh-Clark duo combined for 270 rushing yards against Ole Miss, showing just how dominant this Florida offense can be on the ground. Baugh even scored the Gators’ final touchdown on a 2-yard run, following a lead block from tight end Lakota Dippre that looked just like his game-sealing score against Auburn. Dippre has been a beast too, making his fourth straight start, playing 44 snaps in the game, and earning a 72.0 PFF blocking grade. This guy is putting in work.
Now, the No. 8 Gators have to take all that momentum on the road as they head to No. 25 Missouri on Saturday. Kickoff is at 3:30 p.m. on ABC, and you know Missouri is going to be ready for a fight. Can Montgomery and the Gators’ offense keep this train rolling? We’re about to find out.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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