3 Storylines to Watch for in Ole Miss vs. Florida in Week 4

Pete Golding and the Rebels travel to The Swamp this Saturday to play Jon Sumrall and the Florida Gators.

Mississippi Rebels quarterback Trinidad Chambliss passes against the Florida Gators during the second quarter at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

This Saturday, the No. 4 Ole Miss Rebels will travel to The Swamp to take on the No. 21 Florida Gators. Both teams are 3-0 and carrying momentum following SEC wins.

Ole Miss and head coach Pete Golding are coming off a statement win over the Rebels' former head coach Lane Kiffin and LSU. In the past, Ole Miss has been caught slipping in The Swamp after a program-defining win. The Rebels will be out to not have it happen again.

Here are the main storylines to watch heading into this game for Ole Miss.

A Battle of Two Heisman Contenders

Mississippi Rebels quarterback Trinidad Chambliss passes the ball against the Louisiana State Tigers during the second quarter at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss and Florida running back Jadan Baugh are both in the Heisman conversation right now. Baugh is on the fringe; Chambliss, however, is the favorite.

Baugh's run for 458 yards, the second-most in the country, and eight touchdowns, tied for the most in the country. Chambliss, while not having the same level of eye-popping stats, has been the heart of Ole Miss and has willed them to ranked wins over No. 16 Louisville and No. 10 LSU.

This Saturday will be an opportunity for Baugh to push himself into the main conversation for the Heisman, especially in a week where Ole Miss running back Kewan Lacy is a game-time decision and likely won't outshine Baugh.

For Chambliss, this Saturday is a chance to avoid a trap game and further establish his Heisman resume. But there is a real chance that Baugh's talent helps Florida catch Ole Miss sleeping.

Florida is Favored

Mississippi Rebels head coach Pete Golding and Tulane Green Wave head coach Jon Sumrall embrace prior to the game at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Florida head coach Jon Sumrall was surprised to learn that his Gators are favored this weekend over Ole Miss. "There's a lot of good drugs out there, huh?" Sumrall said Monday.

With Ole Miss coming off a win in a game fans and the team have had circled since Kiffin left, there's always the possibility of them overlooking Florida. No matter how much Pete Golding insists they aren't.

Ole Miss ran into a similar situation in 2024, when they lost to Florida at The Swamp the week after defeating Georgia in what was supposed to be a program-defining win that pushed the Rebels into the playoffs.

Pete Golding was the defensive coordinator for that 2024 team, and he won't want to repeat the mistakes Ole Miss teams have made in the past.

Can Ole Miss' Defense Play As Well As It Did Against LSU?

Mississippi Rebels safety Sharif Denson reacts after a play against the Louisiana State Tigers during the first quarter at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The first two games were rough for Ole Miss' defense, particularly their secondary that was dealing with injuries to Florida transfer safety Sharif Denson and cornerback Antonio Kite.

Last week, both men were healthy for most of the game, and it showed in Ole Miss' defensive performance. This week, Denson will return to The Swamp for the first time since he transferred, and he will play a crucial role in limiting Florida's passing game with QB Aaron Philo.

Although Baugh is the bigger threat, Philo is no slouch, having 8 touchdowns total and nearly 800 yards on the season. The combination of Baugh, Philo and the other offensive talent for Florida will be a challenge for Pete Golding's defense.

If Golding and company can handle business this week and avoid losing the trap game, Ole Miss fans will have many reasons to be excited heading into the Rebels' bye week.

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