Kentucky vs. Ole Miss: The No. 20 Ole Miss Rebels hit the road to face the Kentucky Wildcats at Kroger Field on Saturday afternoon. Last year, the Wildcats stunned then-No. 6 Ole Miss in Oxford, handing Lane Kiffin one of his most frustrating losses of the season. This time, the Rebels arrive with potentially as good of an offense as last year, plus a defense that looked dialed in during Week 1. Let’s jump into my picks and predictions between Kentucky and Ole Miss.
Check out the latest odds at the best online sportsbooks. Plus, you’ve still got some time to add more futures to your portfolio so be sure to check out our Power Four Conference Previews below.
Kentucky vs. Ole Miss NCAA Football Insights
Can Austin Simmons power through the Kentucky defense?
Kentucky vs. Ole Miss Betting Odds
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Spread
- Kentucky +10 (-110)
- Ole Miss -10 (-110)
Moneyline
- Kentucky +292
- Ole Miss -365
Total
- Over 50 (-115)
- Under 50 (-105)
Rebels Recap
Ole Miss barely broke a sweat in its opener, crushing Georgia State 63-7. The Rebels racked up 695 yards of offense, including 400 through the air and 295 on the ground.
Redshirt sophomore Austin Simmons completed 20 of 31 passes for 341 yards, averaging 11 yards per completion, with three touchdowns and two interceptions.
His poise and ability to spread the ball around stood out – eight different receivers had multiple catches. The two interceptions may appear a bit worrisome, but we have to remember that it’s his first start as the leader of this team and the first game of the season. He’ll be fine in the long run.
The Rebels’ ground game was relentless. Ole Miss carried it 44 times for 295 yards (6.7 YPC) and four touchdowns, wearing down the Georgia State defense with a deep rotation of backs.
Defensively, the Rebels were suffocating. Georgia State managed only 69 passing yards on 25 attempts and turned it over once. While the Panthers did find some rushing lanes, the overall dominance of Ole Miss on both sides of the ball was evident.
Weaker Wildcats?
Kentucky opened with a 24-16 win over Toledo, but it wasn’t exactly convincing. The Wildcats failed to cover as 10-point favorites and looked shaky through the air.
Quarterback Zach Calzada, now on his third transfer stop, struggled mightily. The 24-year-old finished 10-for-23 for 85 yards with one interception, averaging just 3.7 yards per completion. Kentucky’s passing attack lacked rhythm and explosive plays, which are necessary in order to keep up with the Rebels’ offensive attack.
The running game, however, was a different story. Former Nebraska back Dante Dowdell stole the show with 129 yards on 14 carries (9.2 YPC) and a touchdown, and the team as a whole piled up 220 rushing yards and three scores on 43 attempts.
Kentucky’s defense held its ground against the run, limiting Toledo to just 59 yards on 29 carries (2.0 YPC). The secondary, however, showed cracks, giving up 270 yards through the air on 40 attempts – a weakness that could be costly against Simmons and Ole Miss’ balanced attack.
Best Bet
This line opened as low as -8.5 and has climbed to -10.5 in spots, but there are still -9.5s available, giving us a chance to grab Ole Miss under the key number of 10.
Don’t be surprised if Kiffin pushes to run up the score after last year’s 20-17 home loss to an unranked Kentucky squad. That’s his nature, and in a Week 2 conference matchup, he’ll want to keep momentum rolling while ironing out early-season flaws.
The Wildcats offense won’t be able to keep up with Simmons and their plethora of weapons, which should lead to Ole Miss covering -9.5.
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