Rebels’ defensive front sets the tone in SEC matchup
On a night when Ole Miss needed answers, its defense delivered. Facing a Kentucky team eager to control the pace, the Rebels instead dictated terms with relentless pressure and a young defensive front that looked anything but inexperienced.
The Wildcats managed just 354 yards of offense, 54 of which came on their final drive against prevent coverage. Quarterback Zach Calzada never found a rhythm, completing only 15 of 30 passes for 149 yards. The inability to extend drives, going just 5-for-16 on third down, proved costly.
The defensive line made the difference.
Lane Kiffin praised his front after the game, saying, “These road games, they feel a lot better when you have good D-linemen. That can end games and put pressure on a quarterback like that is awesome.” Zxavian Harris anchored the group, while Kam Franklin, William Echoles, Princewill Umanmielen, and Jam Brown added key plays.
Role players stepped up as well.
Transfer Kapena Gushiken led the Rebels with five tackles. Freshman linebacker duo Tahj Chambers and Jaden Yates combined for 10 stops, while Antonio Kite added three.
A defense that travels.
When Kentucky went up 10-0, Ole Miss leaned on its defense. Stops at the line of scrimmage flipped momentum, allowing the Rebels to regain control. As Kiffin put it, “I think it says they got a chance to be really good.”
This performance didn’t just secure a win, it signaled that Ole Miss’s defense could be the difference-maker in its SEC run.
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