Ole Miss Baseball Looks to Bounce Back Against No. 21 Florida Gators

The Rebels hit the road to Gainesville after being swept by in-state rival Mississippi State last weekend.

Apr. 2, 2026 at 9:36pm

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a college baseball game, with overlapping planes of bright red, blue, and yellow colors representing the dynamic action on the field.The Ole Miss Rebels look to rebound from a disappointing home sweep with a series win over the ranked Florida Gators.Gainesville Today

The Ole Miss Rebels baseball team will travel to Gainesville, Florida this weekend to take on the No. 21 ranked Florida Gators in an SEC showdown. Ole Miss is looking to bounce back after being swept by in-state rival Mississippi State last weekend. Head coach Mike Bianco has challenged his team to show up and play better after a disappointing home series.

Why it matters

This SEC matchup is an important one for Ole Miss as they try to get back on track after a tough series loss. The Rebels will need to find a way to win against another top-25 opponent on the road if they want to stay in contention in the SEC standings.

The details

The series will begin on Thursday evening with first pitch set for 5:30 p.m. CT. Ole Miss will send right-hander Taylor Rabe (3-1, 2.61 ERA) to the mound, while Florida will counter with righty Liam Peterson (1-1, 3.67 ERA). The final two games of the series will be played on Friday and Saturday, with the Saturday finale airing live on SEC Network.

  • The series begins on Thursday, April 2, 2026 at 5:30 p.m. CT.
  • The second game is scheduled for Friday, April 3, 2026.
  • The series concludes on Saturday, April 4, 2026 with the game airing on SEC Network.

The players

Mike Bianco

The head coach of the Ole Miss Rebels baseball team.

Taylor Rabe

The right-handed starting pitcher for Ole Miss who will take the mound in the series opener.

Liam Peterson

The right-handed starting pitcher for the Florida Gators who will face off against Ole Miss in the first game.

Will Furniss

The Ole Miss first baseman who spoke about the team needing to improve after being swept by Mississippi State.

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What they’re saying

“I said basically to the team that was a disappointing weekend. When you're not winning, it stinks, but when you don't play well at home against your arch rival that's disappointing and they should be embarrassed.”

— Mike Bianco, Head Coach, Ole Miss Rebels

“We just got to bear down on the little things. We had seven hits today and none of them was with a guy in scoring position. It's just been everybody. Had the bases loaded four times and we can't get them in. Wasn't very good today and I think this team is good enough to fix it. That's the good thing.”

— Will Furniss, First Baseman, Ole Miss Rebels

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This SEC series against Florida provides an important opportunity for the Ole Miss Rebels to bounce back after a disappointing sweep at the hands of their in-state rival. The team will need to shore up their offensive production and find a way to win against another top-25 opponent on the road if they want to remain in contention in the SEC standings.