Ole Miss Has a Chance to Make a Major Statement Against Vanderbilt – Sports Illustrated

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Ole Miss has a chance to make a major statement Saturday as it travels to Nashville to face Vanderbilt. As the Rebels look to remain among the SEC's top contenders, a strong performance against the Commodores could reinforce their status as one of the conference's most dangerous teams.
The matchup also gives Ole Miss a chance to show how it responds to adversity. The 52-28 loss to Florida exposed several areas that need improvement, including a run defense that surrendered 302 yards on the ground. The Rebels will look to correct those issues against a Vanderbilt team coming off a loss to Georgia.
While a victory would be an important step, the way Ole Miss performs could reveal even more about the team's outlook for the remainder of the season. Offensive efficiency, defensive stops and limiting costly mistakes will be three key benchmarks in determining whether the Rebels can deliver a convincing response in Nashville.
Ole Miss has the offensive talent to put up points against just about any team in the country. However, the Rebels need to prove they can consistently produce against SEC competition after struggling to keep pace with Florida last week.
Trinidad Chambliss and Deuce Alexander have claimed the headlines through the first four games this year, though it is time for another Rebel to take a big step up. If Ole Miss wants to continue moving the ball as well as it has so far, these long drives will need to translate into seven more often than into three.
The Rebels averaged 440 yards per game through their first four games, but their rushing attack has left room for improvement. Ole Miss averaged just 117.5 rushing yards per game during that stretch, putting more pressure on the passing game to carry the offense. Getting the ground game going against Vanderbilt would give the Rebels another way to move the ball and keep the defense guessing.
With the expected return of Kewan Lacy, even if he is limited, the Rebels will be able to reform their run game around one of the most dynamic rushers in the nation. While Lacy will not be given the full workload he is used to, the Rebels will greatly appreciate his return in their running attempts.
Third-down efficiency will also be important. Ole Miss has converted 45.5% of its third-down attempts this season, and maintaining that production could help the offense control the game. The Rebels need to sustain drives, finish possessions with touchdowns and avoid the stretches of stalled production that can allow Vanderbilt to hang around.
Ole Miss cannot allow Vanderbilt to run all over it Saturday. The Rebels surrendered 302 rushing yards to the Gators, allowing Florida to control the line of scrimmage and dictate the pace of the game. Failing to make freshman Jared Curtis play on his heels by negating the game through the air and on the ground will settle the Commodores in quickly, putting the Ole Miss defense in a bad position like it saw the last time out.
The Rebels have allowed 194.8 rushing yards per game this season, an area that Vanderbilt will look to exploit. While that number was inflated heavily by Florida, it is still a jarring metric that needs to be cooled down. Ole Miss needs to be more physical up front, limit explosive runs and force the Commodores into obvious passing situations. If Vanderbilt can consistently pick up yards on the ground, it could put the Rebels' defense in another difficult position.
A key issue that has allowed impressive backfield play for opposing teams has been the inability of Rebel pass rushers to get to the quarterback. Will Echoles is certainly an NFL-level talent, as seen last season, but if he cannot get back to his 2025 form, the Rebels will need another defensive threat to take over soon.
Getting off the field on third down will be just as important. Ole Miss needs to force punts and give its offense more opportunities to build a lead. A strong defensive performance would go a long way toward showing that the issues against Florida can be corrected, particularly against the run.
Ole Miss cannot afford to give Vanderbilt extra opportunities through penalties and turnovers. The Rebels committed eight penalties for 69 yards against Florida, creating another area they need to clean up heading into Saturday's matchup. Avoiding penalties that extend Vanderbilt drives or put the offense behind the chains will be important, particularly in a road game against an SEC opponent.
Vanderbilt has struggled with penalties this season, averaging nine per game. Ole Miss needs to take advantage of that weakness by staying disciplined and forcing the Commodores to overcome their own mistakes. Giving away free yards or extending drives with avoidable penalties would undermine the Rebels' efforts to control the game.
Turnovers will be another key factor. Ole Miss needs to protect the football on offense and avoid giving Vanderbilt short fields that could lead to easy points. If the Rebels limit penalties, win the turnover battle and capitalize on Vanderbilt's mistakes, they will put themselves in a much better position to leave Nashville with a convincing win.
The Rebel special teams unit did not look its best in Gainesville, allowing significant yardage on kickoff returns and giving the Gators a significant field position advantage. Lucas Carneiro and Co. will need to change their approach against Vanderbilt to prove the Florida errors are a one-off issue.
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Cooper Ferguson is a sophomore at the University of Mississippi pursuing a degree in Integrated Marketing Communications. He is a staff writer for The Daily Mississippian, covering football and soccer while contributing sports coverage for the campus community. Outside of journalism, Cooper enjoys following sports, playing golf, weightlifting, and supporting Arsenal FC.
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