Following Ole Miss’ loss to Florida, the Rebels headed into a much-needed bye week. In Week 6, Ole Miss will head to Vanderbilt to face off against the Commodores, hoping to fix issues that appeared in the past four games.
Vanderbilt will be a good test for the Rebels, especially since it is a road game. Ole Miss has not played particularly well on the road in the past year, so it is vital that the team prepares and plays well against the Commodores.
Ole Miss’ signature win against Louisville in Week 1 no longer looks very signature. The Cardinals have fallen to 2-3 after back-to-back losses to Wake Forest and NC State and are no longer ranked in the Top 25.
The Rebels need to beat the brakes off of Vanderbilt to show that they can play strong, finish well and execute when needed. The team struggled against both LSU and Louisville at times and did not look particularly amazing against Charlotte, either.
Memphis just played Charlotte and beat the 49ers 59-8, compared to the Rebels’ 41-9 victory. Against Ole Miss, the 49ers managed over 100 more total yards and were able to control the clock more effectively, with 37 minutes of possession compared to their 19 minutes of possession against Memphis.
The Ole Miss team needs to find its identity, and that starts with a game that cannot even be called a “tune-up.” This is a legitimate contest despite Vanderbilt’s history as the SEC’s punching bag.
The one shining light for this game is that while Ole Miss has had atrocious run defense this season, Vanderbilt also ranks near last in most rushing categories among SEC teams. If even the Commodores can run through the Rebels, then the Rebel defense does not deserve its NIL money.
One of the ways that Rebel faithful would be able to help the team out is by getting oil changes, dusting off their suitcases and traveling to Nashville for the second time this season to fill FirstBank Stadium.
The Commodores have a running trend of poor attendance among their own fans, notably in a 2024 contest against then-No. 1 Alabama. In an article from The Athletic, Vanderbilt senior Robbie Tylman was at the upset loss and noted how many of the fans in the crowd were cheering for the Crimson Tide.
“The vibe was very much like, ‘Yeah, it will be fun to watch Vanderbilt lose,’” Tylman said.
I propose that we create a similar environment. Vanderbilt season tickets did sell out this year, but by going on secondary markets and buying up tickets, the Road Rebs could make a big difference in helping the team overcome some of its issues like making simple tackles and playing a complete game.
Additionally, Vanderbilt has suffered from poor attendance this season. In a Youtube video from Hutton & Withrow, a sports commentary YouTube channel, the pair discussed how Nashville sports programs have all experienced poor attendance this season, especially the Tennessee Titans and Vanderbilt.
The YouTubers even took a picture from their seats in the stadium during the NC State game to demonstrate how few Vanderbilt fans, and how many NC State fans, were in attendance.
Here is my plea: I think that Ole Miss has some of the best fans in the country and can easily match NC State’s fan attendance. The team may be reeling from the blowout loss to Florida, but having enough Rebel faithful there can help steady the Rebels’ nerves and provide less crowd noise for quarterback Trinidad Chambliss and the offense.
