Ole Miss has play an important role in the SEC’s power structure, but under Lane Kiffin, the Rebels have climbed steadily toward national relevance. Now, sitting undefeated in mid-October, they may be closer than ever to crashing the College Football Playoff.
Their journey enters a new phase on Saturday with the sixth-ranked Rebels Ole traveling to Athens to face No. 9 Georgia.
The first of back-to-back AP Top 25 road matchups on the docket for Ole Miss, with No. 11 Oklahoma also on the horizon. The outcomes of those two games could determine whether the Rebels are legitimate playoff contenders or just another promising team undone by history.
Ole Miss' future was broken down by Opta Analyst's Alex Kirshner, who detailed three aspects of Lane Kiffin's team. The story of the year has been a mix of high-potential offense, a shifting quarterback situation, and some defensive flashes.
The two-headed monster at quarterback
Austin Simmons was sidelined early with an ankle injury, opening the door for Ferris State transfer Trinidad Chambliss to start at quarterback. The senior has since gone 4-0 as a starter, including a big win over then-No. 4 LSU in late September.
Chambliss has provided dual-threat stability. While Simmons offers a stronger downfield arm, Chambliss has excelled in ball security and mobility. His designed runs adds another layer to an offense already led by one of the nation’s top rushers, Kewan Lacy.
But there’s reason to be cautious. Ole Miss nearly faltered against Washington State and has shown inconsistencies on both sides of the ball. The running game, while productive, hasn’t consistently delivered explosive plays. Lacy’s workload, too, could be a concern down the stretch unless more is made of LSU transfer Logan Diggs.
"With sacks filtered out, Ole Miss is averaging 4.9 yards per carry, tied (with 2023’s rate) for its lowest amount under Kiffin," Kirshner said. "The ground game has been somewhat efficient, with a 48.1% rushing success rate that ranks fourth in the SEC. The home runs haven’t been there, though: Ole Miss is ninth in the league in explosive run rate (6.3%) and its nine carries of 20-plus yards are tied for sixth in the SEC."
Can Ole Miss' defense get after Gunner Stockton?
Defensively, the drop-off in pass rush production is alarming. A dominant group in 2023 has regressed sharply. With stars like Princely Umanmielen and Jared Ivey gone, Ole Miss ranks just 12th in the SEC in sack rate. Edge rusher Suntarine Perkins, a 10.5-sack performer last year, has yet to record one in 2025.
Those numbers will be tested this weekend. Former Georgia quarterback Carson Beck was sacked five times by Ole Miss in last year’s upset win. If the Rebels are to repeat the feat against Gunner Stockton, their defensive front must rediscover its bite.
"The Rebels have been hit-or-miss in getting to the quarterback," Kirshner wrote. "They had seven sacks between their wins over a terrible Kentucky team and Washington State. Otherwise, they’ve sacked QBs twice in four games.
"Perkins amazingly does not have a sack this year after hitting double-digits in 2024. Umanmielen’s brother, Princewill, who transferred in from Nebraska, has been the best pass rusher on the team with a 25.5% pressure rate."
What this means for the Rebels' future?
According to Opta’s predictive models, Ole Miss is trending toward a 10-2 finish, which is a record that could earn them a Playoff berth in the expanded 12-team format. But if the Rebels want more than just national respect, they’ll have to prove they can finally win the biggest games on their schedule.
For a program long defined by near-misses, the next two Saturdays offer a shot at rewriting the narrative in Oxford.
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