Why was Ole Miss so much better against the run last weekend?

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OXFORD – Ole Miss head coach Pete Golding needed his team to be more physical following a blowout loss at Florida. The sample size is small, but the Rebels appear to have taken his message to heart.

After surrendering more than 300 yards rushing in a 52-28 defeat in Gainesville, the Rebels ranked 127th nationally and dead last in the SEC at just under 195 rushing yards per game allowed. The Gators had seven rushes of at least 10 yards, including two of more than 40 yards, and totaled six scores on the ground.

The bye week provided an opportunity for a reset.

While Vanderbilt has struggled running the ball this season – the Commodores entered last weekend averaging 123 yards per game, good for 114th nationally – No. 9 Ole Miss (4-1, 2-1 SEC) held up its end of the bargain in a 52-17 win, surrendering just 103 rushing yards on 2.8 yards per carry. Vanderbilt ran for just 31 yards in the first half had just two rushes of more than 10 yards in the game.

Ole Miss’ 103 rushing yards allowed was the fewest by a Rebels opponent this season by 40 yards and was the first game where an opponent averaged fewer than four yards per carry.

The product was far different than two weeks prior, when Florida had two 100-yard rushers and gashed the Rebels at a clip of 5.7 yards per rush.

“I think effort, No. 1. I think No. 2, I think the violence at the point of attack, I think the physicality showed up at times,” Golding said. “And like I told them last night, it wasn’t perfect. … But it was much more consistent. I thought guys played faster.”

This weekend doesn’t get any easier with No. 13 Missouri (5-1, 2-1) coming to town, as the Tigers feature the nation’s second-leading rusher, Jamal Roberts. Roberts has 828 rushing yards and 200 or more yards in each of the last two games. He has 621 yards after contact this season, according to Pro Football Focus.

Ole Miss’ next four opponents – Missouri, Texas, Auburn and Georgia – rank 48th, 88th, 50th and 29th nationally in rushing, respectively. Missouri is tied for third nationally with four rushes of 50 yards or longer this season, per CFBStats. Last season’s SEC rushing champion, Ahmad Hardy, has not played for Missouri yet this season after being shot in the leg in May.

“The back’s a really good player,” Golding said. “It’s surprising you’re saying that after they had the No. 1 back probably in the league coming in, and obviously this kid’s come in and played really well. He has the most yards after contact right now, which is something that has been an issue for us on tape. So, we’re going to have to do a really good job in the run game.”

The Rebels host Missouri on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. The game will be broadcast on SEC Network.

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