Ole Miss football was two wins away from a berth in the College Football Playoff, but Lane Kiffin and the Rebels fell flat on their face on Saturday in The Swamp.

Florida played a masterful game to secure bowl eligibility against Ole Miss, taking home a 24-17 win and handing Kiffin and company their third loss of the season. Even in the expanded 12-team CFP format, three losses likely spells trouble for any team trying to make the field, even out of the SEC.

Saturday's disappointing performance was defined by self-inflicted mistakes. Ole Miss turned the football over three times, dropped five passes and finished just 3-for-14 on third down. Time and time again, the Rebels were unable to come through in high-leverage situations during the game. On the other side, Florida excelled in those situations, picking up third downs at a nearly 50% clip and winning the turnover battle by two.

After the game, Kiffin was just as puzzled as everyone watching when it came to seeing his team repeatedly shoot itself in the foot, according to ESPN.

“Obviously a lot was at stake, and we didn't come through. A lot of missed opportunities,” Kiffin said after the game. “It's unusual.”

The Rebels had a chance to come back and tie or win the game late, but quarterback Jaxson Dart threw two interceptions in the final few minutes to officially end Ole Miss' chances.

Jaxson Dart falls short in fourth quarter as Ole Miss' playoff hopes dwindle

Related Ole Miss Football NewsArticle continues below
Michigan Wolverines tight ends coach Grant Newsome against the TCU Horned Frogs during the 2022 Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium.
Michigan football battling 2 Big 10 heavyweights for 4-star OT
Southern California Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) scores on a 1-yard touchdown run against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the second half at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
USC could rebound from 5-star decommitment with No. 1 TE
Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart shown during the Georgia Spring game at Sanford Stadium.
Georgia football’s Kirby Smart calls out Congress over NIL
Mississippi Rebels quarterback Jaxson Dart (2) walks off the field after throwing an interception against the Florida Gators during the second half at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.
Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

Jaxson Dart had a chance to be a hero on Saturday in The Swamp. The senior quarterback got the ball back down by a touchdown with just a few minutes remaining. However, he made an ill-advised throw into triple coverage that was picked off, seemingly ending the game.

On the back of its elite defensive line, Ole Miss got the ball back to Dart one more time. The Rebels' hopes were quickly dashed after Dart threw yet another interception to officially put Ole Miss away for good.

Lane Kiffin and company will now need a lot of help and a ton of chaos in the final week of the regular season to backdoor their way into the bracket. Obviously, that all starts with a win in the Egg Bowl against Mississippi State, but it will likely take a lot more than just that. Tennessee losing to Vanderbilt would be a big boost, as would Indiana losing to Purdue.

If Ole Miss is unable to get those results from around the country, it will likely be forced to settle for a bid in a regular bowl game this postseason. That would certainly be a disappointment for a Rebels team that is very talented and has flashed an extremely high ceiling in a win over Georgia, but its inconsistency in losses against Florida and Kentucky will prove to be very costly in the final playoff discussion.