In a duel between two ranked teams, both of SEC-caliber talent, it can often be hard for players and coaches to find an edge against their rival schools.
Kentucky is not a team to be taken lightly, especially with early Heisman Trophy contender Will Levis as their signal caller. In a loud and rowdy matchup at home for the Rebels, two key fumbles and an impressive ground attack allowed Ole Miss to come away with a 22-19 victory over the Wildcats.
After taking advantage of their superior offensive line and running back group, Ole Miss rushed for a couple of touchdowns in the middle of the first quarter, going up 14-0 on Kentucky before the Wildcats could stop the barrage.
In the closing seconds of the first quarter, Kentucky was able to match Ole Miss with a rushing touchdown of their own, but kicker Matt Ruffalo failed to convert the extra point.
Early in the second quarter, Levis was backed up into his own endzone and was then sacked for a safety by Ole Miss defensive end Tavius Robinson, bringing the score up to 16-6. Levis did attempt to throw the ball away but was marked down before he did so, leading to a flag for intentional grounding, resulting in the safety.
After a field goal kick by Jonathan Cruz, Ole Miss led by 13 points and seemed to have all the advantage in the world.
Kentucky answered the score with a passing touchdown by Levis and attempted to reduce their deficit further with a two-point conversion, but was stopped by cornerback Davison Igbinosun, capping their attempt at six points, ending the half with a 19-12 lead for Ole Miss.
In the middle of the third quarter, Kentucky threw another touchdown and made the point after the kick, tying the game at 19. Ole Miss eventually plodded down the field, with a long 13-play drive that absorbed over four minutes of game time, kicking a field goal to bring the game to a tight score of 22-19.
The true magic of the game happened in a scoreless fourth quarter, in which the Wildcats lost two fumbles to a stingy Ole Miss defense.
“Our defensive guys really showed up with those two turnovers at the end to win it,” head coach Lane Kiffin said after the game. “At the end, our team found a way to come through.”
Ultimately, Levis’s turnovers were the reason for Ole Miss’ upset. Even Jared Ivey, the defensive end who recovered the second fumble, was starstruck by his own stand in the final minute of the game.
“It was a blur … Coach (Kiffin) said I missed four chances in the last game to make a play and it was about time for me to make one,” Ivey said about the final defensive play in his post-game interview.
Overall, an Ole Miss squad that has been long hailed for its offense under Kiffin was able to show a strong defensive presence and stay undefeated despite a considerable upgrade in competition.
