Florida delivered No. 4 Ole Miss a 52-28 thrashing on Saturday night at “The Swamp.” Come Sunday morning, a good chunk of the internet was abuzz about someone who never even handled the ball.
That someone, by reports, is Peyton Blomquist, and she became the breakout star of the ABC telecast with no words needed.
It all started with what would normally be a quick crowd cutaway those shots that television networks run ad infinitum throughout each game to show fans reacting to whatever is happening on the field. The camera happened on Blomquist in the crowd and kept shooting.
For some reason, the segment was significantly longer than normal, and everyone watching noticed. Internet users joked that the cameraman seemed to have forgotten a football game was being played, with some saying he was intentionally keeping her in the frame and not following the action. Soon, clips of that moment were running rampant on X, TikTok, and Instagram as users posted their own clips with comments.
Of course, one question was on everybody’s mind: Who is she?
It didn’t take long to find out. Fans soon learned she is Blomquist, a freshman nutritional sciences major from the University of Florida who was just enjoying herself like any other fan in the crowd.
As it turns out, she is somewhat familiar with this type of publicity. Blomquist currently has nearly 30,000 followers on TikTok. Her overnight appearance as the star of the broadcast could increase that figure considerably.
@peyton_blomquist Happy new year baddies
♬ nicki new year resolution – whoisonika
It was certainly a memorable night to become famous. The Gators posted their best performance in well over a decade, recording their first win against a ranked foe since beating No. 3 Ole Miss in 2015. Florida running backs Jadan Baugh and Duke Clark both rushed for over 100 yards, with Baugh racking up 142 yards and three touchdowns while Clark added 126 yards and a touchdown. The Gators scored touchdowns on all but one of their first five possessions in the second half and now stand at 4-0 for the first time since 2019.
Ole Miss head coach Pete Golding didn’t mince words after the defeat, calling it an “old-fashioned butt whuppin’.”
Gators fans will remember this blowout for years. Everyone else on the internet will likely remember the cameraman’s shot.
