Mississippi defensive back Zamari Walton (6) intercepts a pass from Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe in front of Alabama wide receiver Ja’Corey Brooks (7) during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. (AP Photo/Vasha Hunt)

Week 4 is where Ole Miss’ undefeated season came to an end. The Rebels fell short to the Alabama Crimson Tide 24-10. Ole Miss could not get the job done for many reasons, a lot of which can be easily fixed.

This early-season test may prove to be formative for this Rebel team which has not yet found its identity. Some of the struggles from last year remain big problems for the Rebs, but one thing that is certainly concerning is that one of this teams biggest strengths from a year ago has been lackluster to start the year.

Offensive line must improve

Ole Miss took a different approach to its offensive attack against the Crimson Tide. Rebel Quarterback Jaxson Dart threw a season-high 35 passes this weekend. This decision would prove to be costly, as Alabama would go on to sack Dart four times in the first half alone. Dart, who is not used to dropping back that much in any game, felt the pressure all game, leading to a few lapses in judgment.

In order for the Rebels to succeed through the air, the offensive line must give the quarterback some time. This o-line was one of the best run-blocking units in the country last year, but the bigs up front will need to step up their pass blocking.

This is a very experienced offensive line, with four starters being seniors, the assumption is that the unit will improve as the season progresses.

Defense needs to step up in a big way

Alabama converted on almost half of its attempts on third down and led the game in time of possession. This trend is nothing new for the Rebels this season, with Mercer being the only team to not lead in these categories. This, however, is the first time it has come to bite the Rebels in the butt.

Ole Miss’ defense has had immense trouble getting off the field on third down. This significantly impacted the tempo of the game and will continue to hurt the Rebels if it is not addressed as they get deeper into SEC play.

Though Lane Kiffin is known for his fast-paced offense, those players can only do so much with so little time with the ball.

The season is still young

Even after this tough loss, there are many reasons to be excited about this team. There is a challenging conference schedule ahead, but Ole Miss still has a chance to make its case for an SEC championship bid.

The SEC West is not as top-heavy as it has been in previous years. If Ole Miss wants to be taken seriously, the Rebels should take this loss to build off of their mistakes in order to prepare for the gauntlet ahead, namely LSU in Week 5.

The season is still young, and there are plenty of time and plenty of scenarios for Ole Miss to have a huge season. This team has shown flashes of promising potential this year and they should not be written off yet.