Ole Miss Beats No. 7 Kentucky In Oxford; Reloaded Rebels Now 5-0
OXFORD, Mississippi - Have the Ole Miss Rebels just reloaded after a school record 10-win regular season in 2021?
No. 14 Ole Miss (5-0, 1-0 Southeastern Conference) is already halfway back there after a 22-19 victory over No. 7 Kentucky in front of a sold-out crowd of 64,038 at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium Saturday afternoon.
Ole Miss lost no fumbles and claimed two big ones late and deep in its territory from Kentucky quarterback Will Levis for the win - the Rebels' 13th straight home game going back to the 2020 season.
Ole Miss' schedule lightens up a bit now with a trip to Vanderbilt (3-2, 0-1) on Saturday, followed by Auburn (3-1, 1-0 entering LSU game Saturday night) at home the next week. Kentucky (4-1, 1-1 SEC) lost its 11th straight SEC West road game under Coach Mark Stoops. The Wildcats host South Carolina (3-2, 0-2) on Saturday.
Kentucky reached the 12-yard line in the final minute with a chance to win, but quarterback Will Levis fumbled after a hit by defensive end Jared Ivey. And defensive end Tavius Robinson recovered. The Rebels ran out the clock.
Kentucky previously was driving for a go-ahead field goal or touchdown with under four minutes to go when Levis kept on a 3rd-and-2 play from the Rebels' 19-yard-line. But linebacker Austin Keys' hit on him forced a fumble that safety A.J. Finley recovered at the 21-yard line with 2:55 left.