5 Takeaways from Ole Miss' Brutal Loss to Florida

The Ole Miss Rebels looked completely out of character on both sides of the ball in their blowout loss to the Florida Gators. The run game struggled, the front seven couldn’t contain Jaden Baugh, and the secondary was arguably the worst part of the Rebels’ performance.

After Ole Miss claimed its win over LSU wasn’t its “Super Bowl,” following it up with a 52-28 blowout loss to the Gators certainly doesn’t look good.

Pete Golding summed it up best after the game.

“That was an old-fashioned butt-whupping.”

So, what exactly went wrong for the Rebels in Gainesville? Here are the five biggest takeaways from the loss.

Kewan Lacy is the Run Game

Mississippi Rebels running back Makhi Frazier breaks a tackle against the Florida Gators during the first half at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Kewan Lacy had a shoulder injury that kept him sidelined for the loss against Florida. Last season in Oxford, Lacy had over 200 yards and was the key factor in the Rebels' win. Last night, the Ole Miss run game was a key factor in the loss, as starting back Lindsey finished the day with 31 rushing yards.

Trinidad Chambliss led the team in rushing with 44 yards and two touchdowns. The Rebels aren't going to be able to win games if their best rusher is Trinidad. And as much as Ole Miss would like to talk about the next man up, the running back room was unable to show the type of quality depth it needs to succeed with Lacy on the sideline.

This Defense is Not Going to Get Ole Miss Through the SEC

The three ranked opponents Ole Miss has already faced have averaged over 41 points on offense, and the Rebels still have 4 ranked teams they have to think about on their schedule. The way the defense is playing right now needs to change, and it needs to change quickly.

In Week 3 against LSU, the Rebels' front seven looked fast and physically dominant. In Week 4 against the Gators, that front was taken to the woodshed, and as a result, the Gators ran for over 300 yards and six touchdowns.

The buck stops with Pete Golding. It is his scheme, and he calls the defense. And if it doesn't improve, the Rebels are in trouble.

Deuce Alexander Continues to Impress

Deuce Alexander just had his second game over 100 yards, and it was against another ranked team. Chambliss may get most of the spotlight, but Alexander has half of Ole Miss' passing touchdowns for a reason; he really is that guy.

At the moment, Alexander is looking like a first-round receiver, and the offense clearly looks its most explosive when the ball finds its way into his hands. Whether it's over the middle, down the sideline, or on a simple screen, Alexander getting the ball more is going to open up the rest of the offense.

Can Ole Miss Stop Anything On Defense?

Florida running back Jadan Baugh scores against Mississippi during their game at Steve Spurrier Field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

We've now seen Ole Miss face an elite quarterback in Lincoln Kienholz, and he diced up this defense. We also saw the Rebels face an elite rushing attack against Florida, and they ran Ole Miss into the dirt.

That leaves one obvious question: What is the identity of this defense?

In four games, Ole Miss has had flashes, like in the first half against LSU. The Ole Miss defensive line had the LSU offensive line on skates, and it showed. In the other 10 quarters of action against Power 4 competition, that hasn't been the case. If the Rebels' defense doesn't start to get it together, their elite offense is going to be wasted.

Ole Miss is Still Be A Playoff Caliber Team

Despite all of that negativity this team can still turn it around.

Kewan Lacy will be back sooner or later, and Chambliss is the best quarterback in the country. If there is any duo that should keep the Rebels from being counted out of the playoff hunt, it's that one.

And knowing how great the rest of the weapons on the outside are, it really just comes down to whether or not Golding can figure out a way to manage this defense.

If he can do that, the Rebels will be a dangerous threat in the SEC, and the CFP race.

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