Ole Miss is About to Find Out if it's a Real Contender

The No. 4 Ole Miss Rebels will hit the road for the first time this season. They'll take on the No. 21 Florida Gators, a program trying to re-emerge as an SEC contender under Jon Sumrall.

Ole Miss is coming off one of the most impressive wins of any team so far. They held off a talented LSU team, and Pete Golding's team looks poised to be an elite program this year.

But now the first road test can't get much more difficult than The Swamp.

Ready for the Moment

Mississippi Rebels quarterback Trinidad Chambliss. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It's one thing to earn an emotional and hard-fought victory over LSU. Now, the Rebels have to shift their focus to Florida, and they can't fall behind early. Some have labeled this as a "trap game," but the Gators are a formidable opponent and are capable of hanging around with Ole Miss.

Florida's talented running back Jadan Baugh will be tough to slow down. He's off to a sizzling start and is the identity of the Gators' offense. Golding discussed a key to slowing Florida down.

“With all the alternative formations, shifts and motions, you’re going to see everything under the sun,” Golding said. “Communication has to be on point. John and Buster believe in running the football, and they have a guy to do it. We have to stop the run and get them into obvious passing downs.”

However, Sumrall's team doesn't have Trinidad Chambliss. He's a game-changing player and has proven to be one of the most consistent and talented players in the country. The loud road environment will make it difficult to communicate on offense, but Chambliss is a veteran and can handle the noise.

The biggest determining factor in this game is Kewan Lacy's health. Ole Miss' star running back is listed as doubtful with a shoulder injury. If Lacy can't play, the Rebels will be limited in the running game, and Florida's pass rush can get after Chambliss.

Ole Miss has a tough schedule this year, with matchups against Georgia, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas. But if they see themselves as legitimate contenders, the Rebels will brave the storm and handle Florida on the road.

Golding's team has all the talent to pull out a win, and if they do, it's nearly impossible to doubt anything that happens in Oxford moving forward.

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