Ole Miss vs. Vanderbilt: Everything to Know About the Rebels' Next Opponent – Sports Illustrated

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The Ole Miss Rebels return from their bye week after a 52-28 loss to the Florida Gators. Pete Golding's team is looking to bounce back after an underwhelming performance.
No. 9 Ole Miss will hit the road for the third time this season. This week, they'll face the Vanderbilt Commodores at 3:30 p.m. ET on ESPN. Golding received a major reinforcement on Monday with Kewan Lacy's return.
Both the Rebels and Commodores are coming off tough losses. Here is everything you need to know about Vanderbilt.
Head Coach: Clark Lea (29-38), 6th season
2026 Record: 3-2 (0-2)
Lea led the Commodores to an unforgettable season in 2025. Vanderbilt won six SEC games and 10 games overall which set program records. He was named the SEC Coach of the Year.
Vanderbilt became a formidable team in the conference, but they underwent several roster changes, including the departure of star quarterback Diego Pavia.
The Commodores began the season 3-0 with wins over Austin Peay, Delaware, and a miraculous last-second win over NC State. They've lost their previous two games against Auburn and Georgia. Vanderbilt kept the Bulldogs in striking range, but Georgia pulled away with a dominant second half.
Wide receiver Junior Sherrill: Sherrill is having a tremendous season. The senior wideout has spent all four seasons with Vanderbilt, but he's on pace for his best year. Sherrill is fourth in the SEC in receiving yards (474) and fifth in receptions (28).
The Commodores' top wideout has decimated opposing secondaries. Ole Miss will keep an eye on Sherrill, but it will be a tall task for the Rebels secondary.
Quarterback Jared Curtis: The freshman signal caller missed last week's game with a knee injury, leaving his status for the Ole Miss game up in the air. If Curtis plays, his mobility will be tough to defend.
Curtis has the arm talent and athleticism to be a good quarterback, but the Vanderbilt quarterback experienced some expected ups and downs. If he's unable to play, the Commodores will turn to Blaze Berlowitz.
Safety CJ Heard: Heard is a playmaker at safety. The junior had an outstanding game against Delaware, recording two sacks, two forced fumbles, and a pass deflection. He played a large role on Vanderbilt's defense last season and that remains the same this year.
Trinidad Chambliss has to know where Heard is at all times. He could make a big impact on this game.
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Zion Trammell graduated from TCU with a degree in sports broadcasting and journalism. He joined SI in 2022. In addition to writing for Ole Miss on SI, he is a play-by-play announcer and writes for MLB on SI.
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