Instant Takeaways: Ole Miss Football Takes Down Kentucky 30-23 in Comeback Win

No. 20 Ole Miss is 1-0 in Southeastern Conference play after taking down Kentucky 30-23 on Saturday afternoon at Kroger Field.

Lane Kiffin and Co. escape Lexington with a win over the Wildcats to start the season 2-0 behind a strong final three quarters on both sides of the ball after going down 10-0 in the first frame.

Now, after a strong Week 2 win at Kentucky, Ole Miss will return home to Oxford at Vaught Hemingway Stadium against the Arkansas Razorbacks.

How did the Rebels escape with a win over the Wildcats?

The Instant Takeaways: Week 2 Edition

No. 1: Austin Simmons Overcomes Early Struggles, Battles to First SEC Win

The redshirt-sophomore took the field for his first career SEC start at Kroger Field with all eyes on the young signal-caller.

Simmons had a near identical start in Week 2 as he did in last week's season-opening contest against Georgia State after tossing a pair of interceptions in the first quarter.

It's been a "bend, don't break" mentality for Simmons across his first two starts with early struggles seemingly unable to dictate the trajectory of the game for the youngster.

Ole Miss Rebels Football. — Sep 6, 2025; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Mississippi Rebels quarterback Austin Simmons (13) hands the ball off to running back Kewan Lacy (5) during the first quarter against the Kentucky Wildcats at Kroger Field. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images | Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

Simmons overcame a pair of interceptions and a 10-0 first quarter deficit to wrap up the first half with 159 yards through the air while going 9-for-16 on passing attempts.

Following the two picks, Simmons went 6-for-7 with 120 yards to send the Rebels into halftime with a 17-13 lead.

From there, it was cruise control for Simmons after getting in a groove and leading the Rebels to a 2-0 start with back-to-back wins in his first career starts.

But all eyes will now turn towards Simmons' health after exiting the game in the fourth quarter with under eight minutes left with a lower-body injury.

Ferris State transfer, and Division II All-American Trinidad Chambliss, finshed the game for Ole Miss across the final seven minutes.

No. 2: Ole Miss Has a Stud at Running Back...

Ole Miss running back Kewan Lacy has emerged as RB1 in Oxford for the Rebels after bursting on the scene in his first season with the program.

After handling business in his first start for Ole Miss in Week 1, the Missouri Tigers transfer got it done once again.

Lacy went over the century-mark in Week 1 with three touchdowns and carried the momentum into the program's first SEC contest of the year.

The 5-foot-11, 200-pounder logged 138 yards on 28 rushing attempts and one touchdown on the day to help lift the Rebels to a big-time Southeastern Conference win on the road.

No. 3: Pete Golding's Defense Sets the Pace

Ole Miss defensive coordinator Pete Golding's unit has the potential to control the momentum week-by-week for the Rebels in 2025.

In Week 2, the group made it happen in order to keep Ole Miss within striking distance heading into the second quarter.

After a pair of interceptions tossed by Simmons in the first quarter, the Ole Miss defense didn't panic on the road at Kroger Field.

Ole Miss held the Rebels to just one score in the second half to ice the game despite a rollercoaster performance on offense.

Now, Kiffin and Co. enter Week 3 with a 2-0 record after wins over both Georgia State and Kentucky.

Ole Miss will square off against the Arkansas Razorbacks in Week 3 at Vaught Hemingway Stadium with the Rebels returning to Oxford.

More Ole Miss News:

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Ole Miss Football 'Impressing' Texas Longhorns, Ohio State Buckeyes Target

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