Kentucky pulled off a significant upset against No. 6 Mississippi, winning 20-17 on Saturday. The Rebels’ kicker, Caden Davis, missed a crucial 48-yard field-goal attempt with 48 seconds left in the fourth quarter, marking Kentucky’s highest-ranked victory in coach Mark Stoops’ 12-year tenure.
“It was our kind of game. A dirty, ugly, hard-fought game,” Stoops remarked. “We went out and did what we had to do. We played our way. I know it’s only one game, but it was a very important game for us. Obviously, I could not be more proud of this team.”
With this defeat, Mississippi (4-1, 0-1 Southeastern Conference) saw its seven-game winning streak come to an end in their SEC opener. Mississippi coach Lane Kiffin expressed disappointment: “Beyond disappointing. It’s a disappointing day. The game comes down at the end with us having a chance to win in every phase and we didn’t do it. Got to give credit to Stoops.”
The Wildcats (3-2, 1-2) took a three-point lead with 2:25 left in the game, aided by a fortunate bounce. Backup quarterback Gavin Wimsatt was about to score when an Ole Miss defender knocked the ball loose, allowing tight end Josh Kattus to recover and score a touchdown.
Following criticism for a conservative approach late in a previous game against then-No. 1 Georgia, Stoops’ aggressive strategy paid off. The Wildcats’ go-ahead drive was extended by a 63-yard completion from Brock Vandagriff to Barion Brown on fourth-and-7 at their own 20-yard line.
Vandagriff threw for 243 yards and a touchdown, helping Kentucky dominate possession for nearly 40 minutes, restricting the Rebels’ potent offense.
Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart converted a fourth-and-11 with a 42-yard pass to Caden Prieskorn during the Rebels’ final drive. However, two plays later, Dart was sacked, pushing Ole Miss out of field-goal range. Davis’ potential tying kick came on a fourth-and-7.
Dart ended the game with 261 passing yards, but the Rebels, who averaged 55 points against weaker opponents earlier in the season, only scored once after their opening drive touchdown.
Tre Harris led the Ole Miss receiving corps with 11 catches for 176 yards, including a 48-yard touchdown that put the Rebels ahead 17-13. Meanwhile, Dane Key had eight receptions for 105 yards and a touchdown, giving Kentucky a 10-7 halftime advantage.
“All I can tell you is Stoops is in the air in the locker room,” Key stated.
THE TAKEAWAY
Kentucky: Winning the turnover battle (1-0), executing effectively in the red zone (3 for 3), and converting on fourth down (3 for 3) were pivotal in their victory. The Wildcats’ defense has allowed only 36 points over the past three games.
Kentucky hadn’t defeated a team ranked this highly on the road since 1977, when they won against No. 4 Penn State. “On the critical downs, we made the critical plays,” Stoops noted. “We were not sloppy; we got a turnover, and we’ve gotten better every week.”
Mississippi: After a season that began with high expectations, bolstered by a strong transfer portal class, the Rebels face challenges ahead. Ole Miss will need to regroup in October with three road games and home matches against No. 21 Oklahoma and No. 2 Georgia.
BIG-PLAY DEFENSE
Kentucky’s defense limited Ole Miss to season lows in various statistical categories, yielding only 353 total yards. The Wildcats recorded seven tackles for loss and four sacks while holding the Rebels to just 1 of 10 on third down.
“Our coaches have preached consistency and we really had a lot of confidence coming into this game,” said Octavious Oxendine, who contributed with two sacks.
POLL IMPLICATIONS
The Rebels’ loss raises questions about their ranking after falling in their SEC home opener. With nine other teams holding one loss, Ole Miss is expected to drop around the No. 12 spot, currently occupied by Michigan.
