Good morning, Rebels. Ole Miss (3-1, 1-1 SEC) comes out of the bye ranked No. 9 and turns toward Saturday’s 2:30 CT trip to Vanderbilt on ESPN. The headlines up top: Kewan Lacy is expected back, Pete Golding is rebuilding the run defense, and the Commodores bring a two-quarterback puzzle to Nashville. Down the page, baseball’s fall is underway on a brand-new Swayze Field surface and volleyball hit a road bump. Here’s everything worth your click this morning. Hotty Toddy.
Football
Ole Miss prepares for Vanderbilt’s changing offense: two quarterbacks, multiple challenges
Tue., Oct. 6 · last 24 hours. Vanderbilt hands Ole Miss two offenses in one. Five-star freshman Jared Curtis brings arm talent and scramble ability; senior Blaze Berlowitz leans on option looks and the Commodores’ “G-lead” run game. Golding called it “almost like two different offenses,” putting a premium on disciplined gap fits and assignment football Saturday. (The Rebel Walk)
Ole Miss vs. Vanderbilt: Everything to Know About the Rebels’ Next Opponent
Tue., Oct. 6 · last 24 hours. A scouting primer on a 3-2 Vanderbilt still chasing its first SEC win under reigning conference Coach of the Year Clark Lea. Receiver Junior Sherrill ranks among the league’s top targets with 474 yards, a real test for an Ole Miss secondary that surrendered too many big plays at Florida. (Yahoo Sports)
TRANSCRIPT: Everything Pete Golding said Monday as Rebels turn attention to Vanderbilt, plus an update on Kewan Lacy
Mon., Oct. 5 · last 48 hours. Golding expects Kewan Lacy back from the shoulder injury but won’t hand him a 40-to-50-snap load, keeping the backfield rotation alive. He owned the defense’s numbers — 62 missed tackles and 482 rushing yards surrendered — and framed the bye around tackling, leverage and gap responsibility rather than wholesale scheme changes. (The Rebel Walk)
Football vs. Vanderbilt: First Look
Mon., Oct. 5 · last 48 hours. The official preview sets the stage: No. 9 Ole Miss at Vanderbilt, 2:30 CT Saturday on ESPN from FirstBank Stadium, the 99th meeting in a series the Rebels lead 56-40-2. Trinidad Chambliss is completing 70.8% of his throws for 1,222 yards, and Deuce Alexander has scored in three of four games. (Ole Miss Athletics)
Three Ole Miss Rebels Looking to Bounce Back Against Vanderbilt
Mon., Oct. 5 · last 48 hours. Three Rebels who need a reset: edge Suntarine Perkins (just 17 tackles and 0.5 sacks after a 10.5-sack 2024), receiver Traylon Ray (seven catches at LSU, then two at Florida) and safety Sharif Denson, who gave up 86 yards in coverage in Gainesville. The bye was their window to turn the page. (Sports Illustrated)
What Saturday Changed About Ole Miss’ Path Through the SEC
Mon., Oct. 5 · last 48 hours. The scoreboard around the league reshaped the Rebels’ road. Vanderbilt got run off by Georgia 38-14, but Missouri — Ole Miss’s Oct. 17 home date — hammered the same Florida team that blew out Oxford, 45-17. Auburn and Mississippi State stumbled too, clarifying what’s truly winnable down the stretch. (Sports Illustrated)
Baseball
Ole Miss baseball opens fall with new playing surface
Tue., Oct. 6 · last 24 hours. Fall ball is underway on a reborn Swayze Field. Ole Miss replaced its infield and outfield grass plus the foul-territory turf — the first full overhaul since the park opened in 1988-89, previously the oldest playing surface in the SEC. Pitcher Hunter Elliott’s early verdict: the mound’s a little better. (Oxford Eagle)
TRANSCRIPT: Mike Bianco talks newcomers, leadership and early standouts ahead of Ole Miss’ Samford matchup
Mon., Oct. 5 · last 48 hours. Mike Bianco broke down a roster split evenly at 21 newcomers and 21 returners ahead of the Samford exhibition. Early standouts include Weston Pennant, Bryden Bull and hard-throwing Charlie Foster, while Hunter Elliott and Judd Utermark set the veteran tone. Bianco cautioned that true leadership only shows up through adversity. (The Rebel Walk)
Women’s Sports
Volleyball Falls to Vanderbilt
Sun., Oct. 4 · Oct. 4. Ole Miss volleyball’s unbeaten SEC start ended with a 3-0 sweep at Vanderbilt (25-16, 25-20, 25-17), out-hit .374 to .148 on the night. The Rebels couldn’t find offensive rhythm after falling behind early in each set. Next up is a road test at No. 11 Tennessee on Thursday. (Ole Miss Athletics)
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