Three keys to an Ole Miss win over Florida

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No. 4 Ole Miss plays at No. 21 Florida in Gainesville on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. Here are three keys to a Rebels win against the Gators.

No letdown

Ole Miss finally has Lane Kiffin and LSU in the rearview mirror after an emotional 32-24 victory in Oxford. Florida isn’t going to be a walk in the park, and no one should know that more than the Rebels, who saw their College Football Playoff hopes die at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in 2024. Florida is favored in this game, and Ole Miss should have no trouble getting up for a game against a ranked foe. But a low-energy effort because of last weekend isn’t a recipe for success.

Stop the run

Florida’s Jadan Baugh is second in the FBS with 458 rushing yards and is tied for first with eight rushing touchdowns. He is the key to the Gators’ offense. Ole Miss is surrendering 159 rushing yards per game, which is last in the SEC. Shutting him down and forcing quarterback Aaron Philo into predictable passing downs will be crucial.

Establish the run, regardless of who is at running back

Star junior Kewan Lacy will be a game-time decision for Saturday’s game, Ole Miss head coach Pete Golding told reporters Monday, after he suffered a shoulder injury against the Tigers. The Rebels ran for just 63 yards in the win over LSU and are third-to-last in the SEC with 114 rushing yards per game. While sixth-year quarterback Trinidad Chambliss is a Heisman Trophy frontrunner, the Rebels need to run the ball to fully unlock their potent offense. If Lacy is unavailable, junior Makhi Frazier and sophomore JT Lindsey will need to step up their games.

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