Ole Miss at Vanderbilt Prediction: Who Wins and Why? – Sports Illustrated

In this story:
After going through its bye week with a losing feeling for the first time this season, Ole Miss is hitting the road again to seek redemption in the win column this weekend.  
The Rebels return to Nashville on Saturday, marking their second trip in six weeks as they take on Vanderbilt at FirstBank Stadium. In their last outing the Rebels weren’t consistent in any phase of the game against Florida, but will have the chance to spark the morale with a complete performance against a weaker Vanderbilt squad.  
Ole Miss approaches the weekend as 9.5-point road favorites and expects to get off to a fast start. Saturday’s kickoff between the Rebels and Commodores is set for 2:30 p.m. CT on ESPN. 
Ahead of the Rebels' latest trip to Music City, Ole Miss On SI predicts which team wins and why.   
If weather wasn’t a factor in Nashville on Saturday, I would be fairly confident that the Rebels play a sharp game all the way around on their way to a comfortable victory. Neither team likely will play its cleanest game, but I think the weather favors Vanderbilt's game plan of slowing down the Rebels’ best offensive threat. Still, I don’t believe it will be enough for the Commodores to overcome a more talented, experienced and ticked-off Ole Miss team.
Ole Miss’ defense hasn’t given much reason to believe it's currently a good unit, particularly its run defense, but if there was ever a road conference game for it to spark some optimism it would be this weekend. Vanderbilt has one of the SEC’s worst rush attacks and will be led by a talented, but inexperienced true freshman under center in less than ideal conditions. It is worth noting that Vanderbilt’s defense has been much more of a weapon than Ole Miss’. That said, the Rebels’ offense has been trustworthy and one I’m still betting on to have the edge. 
In the end this game should come down to which team can consistently lean on its run game. Even with a limited version of Kewan Lacy expected to return to the lineup, I think it will be the Rebels’ stable of backs, mixed with Trinidad Chambliss’ mobility, that will put Ole Miss over the top in Week 6. 
Ole Miss 27, Vanderbilt 17 
Weather is expected to impact the game Saturday, which would normally be a bad sign for Ole Miss considering they’re coming off a loss to Florida defined by their run game. However, following the bye week, I expect head coach Pete Golding and the Rebels to have made improvements to the run defense, though I doubt it’s completely fixed. The return of Ole Miss running back Kewan Lacy also helps the Rebels create a more dynamic run game, especially when combined with quarterback Trinidad Chambliss’ rushing ability. 
I expect the Rebels to go up early and manage the lead from there. I also expect the offense to look as strong as it has all season, even if the passing game is dampened a bit, and the defense to show flashes of the high-level performance the team, fans and media know they’re capable of.
Ole Miss 28, Vanderbilt 17
Ole Miss is looking to rebound after a tough loss to Florida. The Rebels welcome back Kewan Lacy, who should balance out the offense. The defense had two weeks to prepare for Vanderbilt. Hopefully, Pete Golding found a solution to their defensive troubles during the bye week. I think if Ole Miss starts fast, it'll be tough for the Commodores to keep up. The Rebels respond well and get a comfortable road victory.
Ole Miss 38, Vanderbilt 27 
I may have been too confident ahead of Florida…
Coming off of a loss as bad as the one in Gainesville and the much-needed bye week, I expect the Rebels to fire on all cylinders in Nashville. Trinidad Chambliss will continue his incredible start to the season, and the Rebels will win their fourth game of the season, and second, in the Music City.
Ole Miss 34, Vandy 21
Sign up for our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook and X for the latest news.
Loading recommendations… Please wait while we load personalized content recommendations
Bio: Tyler Komis is a beat reporter for Ole Miss On SI. He is a Biletnikoff Award and Lombardi Award voter from New Jersey with more than five years of sports reporting experience. Prior to joining On SI, he previously covered Ole Miss Athletics for 247Sports (2021-2026), chronicling the ascension of the football program and the beginning of its coaching transition to Pete Golding ahead of the 2025-26 College Football Playoffs. You can find Komis on social media channels, including X/Twitter @TylerKomis.
© 2026 ABG-SI LLC – SPORTS ILLUSTRATED IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF ABG-SI LLC. – All Rights Reserved. The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only. Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Sports Illustrated or its affiliates, licensees and related brands. All picks and predictions are suggestions only and not a guarantee of success or profit. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER.

source