Ole Miss defeated Arkansas 41-35 on Saturday to start the season 3-0. The passing attack, led by backup quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, shined. The defense left much to be desired but forced a late turnover to seal the game.
The offense can adapt to any situation
The Rebel ground game, with 500 rushing yards through the first two weeks, did not show up as well against Arkansas as in prior games. In contrast, even with quarterback Austin Simmons’ ankle injury, the passing attack, led by backup quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, thrived. Chambliss threw for 353 yards and had three total touchdowns.
The Razorbacks limited running back Kewan Lacy to only 44 rushing yards, but Lacy was involved in the air, adding 40 receiving yards. Still, when Ole Miss faces stronger opponents in the future, the offense will need to have a balance between running and passing.
While Chambliss’ 21 completions for 353 yards did not include many flashy plays, he made the throws he needed to make and read the defense well. Lane Kiffin was extremely positive about Chambliss’ performance.
“He has the ‘it’ (factor). … It’s just a factor and we saw it on the game tape and the scrimmages,” Kiffin said in his post-game interview. “He just found a way to find some magic about him.”
Wide receiver Harrison Wallace III added to Kiffin’s remarks in his postgame press conference.
“Trinidad does have that ‘it’ factor — he’s just special,” Wallace said.
The defense still needs improvement
One of the major storylines of this game was the apparent weakness of the Ole Miss defense. Despite linebacker TJ Dottery’s strip at the end of the fourth quarter, the Rebels only stopped Arkansas from scoring points on four drives total — two of which came off missed Arkansas field goals. The Rebels did not log a single sack or interception.
This does not bode well for the future. Pressuring the quarterback and forcing turnovers are some of the most important ways to win a game, and the Ole Miss defense did not do either until Dottery’s forced fumble on Arkansas’s 72nd offensive play of the game.
Though the delay at least demonstrates that the Rebels fought until the end, even Dottery — who currently leads the team in tackles — was critical of the defense.
“I feel like it’s nothing spectacular, neither team did,” Dottery said. “It’s always been us misassigning or (mis)aligning (sic.), and as soon as that happens, we give up those big plays, and we kill ourselves on those drives with penalties and missed assignments.”
Indeed, the Rebels missed several assignments throughout the game. On the first Arkansas touchdown, there seemed to be confusion in the secondary, which led to a wide-open receiver. On Arkansas’ second touchdown, the defense was either outschemed or misaligned, since Arkansas running back Mike Washington Jr. blasted through the line nearly untouched for a 47-yard score.
Throughout the game, Ole Miss’ front seven seemed especially puzzled on read option plays. Up until the fourth quarter, almost every Arkansas option was successful due to a lack of patience and discipline by the Rebel defense. The Rebels’ tendency to bite on the running back opened running lanes for Arkansas quarterback Taylen Green, who finished the game with 115 rushing yards — three fewer than the entire Ole Miss team combined.
The Rebels are too lucky for their own good
Chambliss might not have thrown two interceptions to start the game, but the Rebels were still fortunate to come away with a win. Ole Miss won 41-35. Coincidentally, Arkansas’ kicker Scott Starzyk missed two field goals, six points left on the field that would have tied the game.
Late in the fourth quarter, Arkansas scored a touchdown to put the score at 41-35. Rather than crush the Razorbacks’ momentum and run the clock by earning a few first downs, the Ole Miss offense Chambliss followed up the Arkansas touchdown with a three-and-out drive, giving the ball right back to Green and the Razorback offense. Without the miraculous strip fumble from Dottery, the Razorbacks likely would have continued to move the ball and might have scored the game-winning touchdown.
What’s next?
The Rebels trudge on with a few more gray hairs and a potential quarterback controversy brewing before they take on a dangerous Tulane team at home at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 20. ESPN will broadcast the game.
