5 things you need to know about the Ole Miss Rebels

Close is not excelling in college football. After all, these are not horseshoes or hand grenades. Two weeks ago, Kentucky nearly pulled off a season-changing upset against No. 1 Georgia before falling 13-12 at Kroger Field. Two years ago, the Wildcats fell to Oxford and were one penalty away from defeating the Ole Miss Rebels.

Trailing 22-19, Will Levis led a quick 69-yard drive, setting up 1st-and-goal at the Rebels' seven-yard line. After rushing to the finish line, Dane Key recovered a jump ball in the end zone with 58 seconds left and appeared to win the game for Kentucky, ranked No. 7 in the country with a perfect 4-0 record. However, The ball was snapped before Barion Brown was set Canceling the play and moving the Cats back five yards. Levis was sacked the following game as Ole Miss escaped with the 22-19 victory.

Needless to say, It shouldn't be difficult for coach Mark Stoops to motivate his team on Saturday. In the second week at home in South Carolina, they were completely embarrassed. In the third week they recovered and proved they could play with anyone, but ultimately failed. Then you have the bad taste in your mouth that the Wildcats had from their last trip to Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. You can also take a shot at an undefeated team ranked No. 6 in the AP poll. This Kentucky team “needs” to pull off an upset to reverse the disappointment of the South Carolina debacle. You'll have a great chance to redeem on Saturday at 11 a.m. local time at Ole Miss.

As always, We've got everything you need before the game here at Kentucky Sports Radio dot com for kickoff at noon Eastern Time on ABC between the Kentucky Wildcats (2-2, 0-2) and the #6 Ole Miss Rebels (4-0, 0-0). If you haven't already, you need to dive into Adam Luckett's Scouting Report. This is your in-depth preview for football nerds. If you're looking for a more superficial look at what awaits you on Saturday afternoon, you've come to the right place. Let’s dive into five things you need to know about the Ole Miss Rebels.

Does Ole Miss have the best offense in the country?

Any discussion of the best offense in college football through four weeks of the season would include the Ole Miss Rebels. Their numbers are truly staggering at the moment. They rank first in the nation with nearly 8.9 yards per game. When they drop back to pass, they gain just over 11 yards per play, which is second best in the country. Even the running game ranks 14th, averaging 6.79 yards per rush. All of this success has resulted in the Rebels averaging 55 points per game en route to a 4-0 record. However, the competition hasn't tested them closely. Furman, Middle Tennessee, Wake Forest and Georgia Southern are far removed from the Southeastern Conference football programs.

There’s no denying Ole Miss’ explosiveness. They will play with pace and send the ball around the field. Through four games, they completed 303 plays per scrimmage compared to Kentucky's 245, to put their speed in context. The Rebels are gaining 422.8 yards per game through the air and 248 yards per game on the ground. Kentucky's defense has certainly flexed its muscles earlier this season, but they face a much different test on Saturday afternoon in Oxford.

Jaxson Dart releases video game numbers

Jaxson Dart posting insane numbers isn't exactly a new phenomenon for Ole Miss Rebels fans. After throwing for 1,353 yards in six games as a freshman at USC, Dart transferred to Oxford. He immediately took over, rushing for 2,974 yards and 20 touchdowns as a sophomore. Then, as a junior, he improved to 3,364 yards and 23 touchdowns, good for 11 wins and a top-10 finish in the AP poll. Now in his third year at Ole Miss, Dart has a firm place in the Heisman Trophy race.

Dart leads the NCAA in several passing categories, including yards and completion percentage. He completes just a touch less than 80% of his passes while rushing for 1,554 yards and 12 touchdowns in just four games. He also ran for three more points. This level of efficiency and success has led the Rebels to arguably the most dynamic offense in college football. It will take a tremendous effort from the Wildcats' secondary to keep Dart and the Rebels at bay in this matchup.

Clear top target, several talented options at wide receiver

Tre Harris was a key target for the Ole Miss Rebels last season, catching 54 passes for 985 yards and eight touchdowns. It was a smooth transition to the SEC after a successful three-year career at Louisiana Tech culminated with an All-CUSA season with 65 catches, 935 yards and 10 touchdowns. However, the 1.90 m tall, 100 kg super senior has reached a new level this year. Harris is now the clear top option for Jaxson Dart. He has already thrown 38 balls on 45 targets for 628 yards and four scores. His explosiveness is outstanding and he leads college football with six balls of 30 or more yards. Containing him will be a top priority for Kentucky's secondary.

Antwane Wells Jr. and Cayden Lee are the next two wide receivers the Rebels should keep an eye on. Wells Jr. has reached the end zone four times and is averaging nearly 20 yards per reception. Lee has now recorded 14 catches for 256 yards and a touchdown. As a complete newcomer, he found his reward twice last season. Tight ends Caden Prieksorn and Jordan Watkins will also play a role in the passing game.

Significantly improved Rebel defense

Everyone knows that coach Lane Kiffin and the Ole Miss Rebels will regularly field one of the best offenses in college football. That's no secret. However, continued progress on defense has allowed the Rebels to become a legitimate national title contender. In Coach Kiffin's first three seasons, the defense held the entire team back. That hasn't been the case since the hiring of former Alabama defensive coordinator Pete Golding.

Coach Golding immediately established Ole Miss as a top-25 defense in 2023 and plans to do even better in year two. Their stats are inflated right now because they play such a poor non-conference schedule, but some of what they do will certainly impact the SEC.

So far, the Rebels are allowing just 3.5 yards per play (fourth best in the country), posting a 19.2% rushing rate (second best in the country) and are Best in the nation against the run, allowing two yards per carry. That run defense will be put to the test against Kentucky, which gained 215 non-sack rushing yards against Georgia and is averaging 165.8 rushing yards per game.

Potentially dominant defensive front

The Big Blue Wall will be put to the test on Saturday afternoon. Running the football wasn't a problem, but to keep up with the Ole Miss Rebels, the Cats also need to be able to pass the ball. Against weaker opponents, Ole Miss made it into the backfield on almost 20% of the opponent's snaps. That can't be the case for Kentucky. Giving Brock Vandagriff some time to act will be crucial.

JJ Pegues is the star of the show at the top. After two seasons at Auburn, the 6-foot-1, 325-pound super senior has developed into a star at Ole Miss. He already has five tackles for loss and one fumble recovery this season. Much like Deone Walker, however, his impact goes far beyond the stats. In addition to Pegues at the top, there is another monster in Walter Nolen. The 1.95 meter tall, 140 kilogram junior was the top candidate in the class of 2022 and has been a real impact player since arriving in Oxford. He and Pegues give the Rebels possibly the best defensive tackle combination in the country.

Defensively, Princely Umanmielen is a super senior who has recorded plenty of havoc stats. In four seasons at Florida, Umanmielen collected 15 sacks and 26 tackles for loss. He has two sacks and three tackles for loss at Ole Miss this season. Jared Ivey is another name to know on the front lines and another big presence. Ivey is 6-foot-3 and weighs 285 pounds. He has a pair of sacks but missed last week's game due to injury. The four names listed here are all capable of giving the Cats' offensive line a long day.