Ole Miss Football overcame early mistakes and a slow first quarter to beat Kentucky 30-23 in Lexington, Ky., on Saturday, Sept. 6.
The previous week, Kentucky beat Toledo 24-16. The Wildcats won that game on the ground, with 220 rushing yards and three touchdowns. The AP No. 20 Ole Miss Rebels won 63-7 last week against Georgia State.
First Quarter
On the opening drive, Simmons made a nice throw to wide receiver Harrison Wallace III, who peeled up the sideline for a first down. The drive stalled after a missed throw by Simmons.
Kentucky could not get much going on its opening drive either, as a third-down stop by Ole Miss’ Wydett Williams Jr. forced a three-and-out.
The Ole Miss offense began to wake up following a 30-yard catch-and-run by wide receiver Deuce Alexander II. This set the Rebels up in field goal range, but Western Kentucky transfer Lucas Carneiro’s kick doinked off the upright.
About halfway through the quarter, Simmons passed up on an easy check down and forced a throw to wide receiver Caden Lee; the pass was intercepted by Wildcat defensive back Ty Bryant and returned nearly to the Ole Miss 30 yard line.
The Wildcats moved the ball, and Seth McGowan closed out the drive with a nine-yard touchdown run to put Kentucky up 7-0.
With about a minute left in the quarter, Simmons got hit as he threw, and the ball sailed over Lee’s head and into the arms of Bryant again. This marked Simmons’s fourth interception in five quarters this season.
Second Quarter
The Wildcats settled for a field goal and extended their lead to 10-0.
On the next Ole Miss drive, the Kentucky defense forced another fourth down — only this time, Kiffin elected to go for it. Simmons faked the handoff and threw a long corner route to Wallace III, who turned up the sideline and broke a few tackles before finally being dragged down at the one yard line.
Running back Kewan Lacy pounded in the touchdown, and Carneiro’s extra point cut the Kentucky lead to three.
The Rebels forced a three-and-out thanks to a pass breakup by corner Antonio Kite.
In a blink, Simmons carried the ball a yard short of the goal line on a designed quarterback run, and two plays later, running back Damien Taylor scored the second Ole Miss touchdown of the game to give Ole Miss its first lead of the game at 14-10.
On its next drive, Kentucky marched 62 yards into field goal range, due in part to a roughing the passer penalty on Ole Miss linebacker Tahj Chambers and a 16-yard catch on third down by Hardley Gilmore IV. After Kite nearly picked off a 50-50 ball in the end zone, the Wildcats settled for a field goal, making the score 14-13.
Lacy got the next drive going with a barreling 26-yard run, which put the Rebels in Wildcat territory. The offense could not get anything else going, and a Carneiro field goal stretched the Rebel lead to 17-13. Kentucky’s last possession of the half was waylaid by penalties, and Ole Miss went into the locker room with a four-point lead.
Third Quarter
Both teams went three-and-out to start the quarter. Three minutes into the half, though, Simmons threw a deep ball to Wallace III for 43 yards to spark the offense. What could have been a Lacy’s second touchdown run was called back for holding, and the Rebels hit a field goal to go ahead 20-13.
The Wildcats answered almost immediately. Ole Miss got caught on a corner blitz, and Kentucky wide receiver Ja’Mori Maclin beat safety Nick Cull on a hitch-and-go route for 44 yards; soon after, McGowan found the edge and walked into the end zone to tie things at 20.
With the ball back, the Rebels leaned on the run-pass option. Tight end Trace Bruckler caught a pass over a linebacker on a seam route, Lacy continued to run hard and Simmons scored on a designed quarterback run in the red zone to regain the lead 27-20
The Rebel defense shut down the Wildcats on the next possession, securing Simmons the ball back at the end of the quarter.
Fourth Quarter
The Rebels offense struggled to move the ball, and the Rebels were forced to punt. McGowan then bounced a run outside for a solid gain. Defensive tackle Zxavian Harris finally got home to sack quarterback Zach Calzada. The Wildcats opted to go for it on fourth down, and Calzada found a wide-open Law on the right sideline to keep the drive, and Kentucky’s hopes of an upset, going.
Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops thought touchdown or bust when the Wildcats lined up to go for it on 4th-and-9. Calzada stepped back, Ole Miss brought some pressure and the seventh-year signal caller threw it out of the back of the end zone to give Ole Miss the ball back.
Ole Miss took over with half the quarter left. The Rebels were unable to bleed any clock and stalled immediately; not only this, but Simmons’s ankle got tangled up on third down, and the 19-year-old needed assistance to get off the field.
Calzada was banged up after Kentucky’s last possession, so redshirt freshman Cutter Boley stepped in at quarterback for the Wildcats. Deep in Ole Miss territory, with a little over four minutes left, the Wildcats once again went for it on fourth down. Once again, they failed to convert.
Ferris State transfer quarterback Trinidad Chambliss subbed in for Simmons, and he kept the offense afloat. Lacy provided another big run, this time for 33 yards. Carneiro buried a kick to put the Rebels up 30-20 with a minute left to effectively seal the game.
The Wildcats managed a field goal with seconds remaining, but Ole Miss walked away with the victory, 30-23.
What’s next?
The Rebels take on Arkansas in Oxford on Saturday, Sept. 13. Kickoff time is 6 p.m.
