Storylines To Watch in Ole Miss's Week 3 Matchup Against LSU

Ole Miss will face off against the LSU Tigers on Saturday.

Sep 12, 2026; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi Rebels Head Coach Pete Golding reacts with Mississippi Rebels safety Anthony Robinson III (20) during warm ups prior to the game against the Charlotte 49ers at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Pete Golding and Lane Kiffin are set to face off on opposite sides of the field as head coaches for the first time Saturday at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.

The Ole Miss Rebels and the LSU Tigers both enter Saturday's contest undefeated, as Ole Miss defeated Louisville and Charlotte, while LSU defeated Clemson and Louisiana Tech. Both teams also enter as top-10 teams, as the Rebels are the eighth-ranked team in the country and the Tigers are the seventh-ranked team.

Charlie Weis Jr. will be calling the offensive plays for the Tigers, as Pete Golding should be very familiar with the play style and many of the play calls heading into the matchup, as both were on Kiffin's staff during his head coaching stint with the Rebels.

Can the Rebels Defense Improve?

Sep 12, 2026; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi Rebels defensive end Jonathan Maldonado (17) reacts after a defensive stop during the second quarter against the Charlotte 49ers at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Ole Miss defense has really struggled throughout the first two games of the season and now faces one of the better offensive coordinators in the country in Charlie Weis Jr. The Rebels are allowing 395 total yards per game while also allowing 38 points per game in what has been a sloppy start to the season defensively.

The lone bright spot for the defense so far has been the defensive line, as Kam Franklin, Blake Purchase, Will Echoles and Suntarine Perkins have all gotten off to good starts. However, the secondary is the real issue for the Rebels' defense.

The secondary is expected to return some key players before facing off against LSU, as Sharif Denson looks to make his Ole Miss debut in the secondary, while Antonio Kite is working to get closer to 100 percent healthy for the game.

LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt has proven that he can be turnover-prone, as he has thrown four interceptions in two games, compared to Trinidad Chambliss' one interception in two games.

Will the Rebels Offensive Playmakers Step Up?

Sep 12, 2026; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi Rebels wide receiver Horatio Fields (11) reacts after a touchdown catch during the fourth quarter against the Charlotte 49ers at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Offensively, the Rebels seem to be lacking an explosive player outside of wide receiver Deuce Alexander and running back Kewan Lacy. Ole Miss needs a step up from its other receiving playmakers, as this was the reason for the slow start in Week 1 against Louisville.

Expect Ole Miss offensive coordinator John David Baker to get other players like Horatio Fields and Johntay Cook more involved in the offense to try to lessen the stagnant offense that revolves around three players.

Rebels running back Kewan Lacy is seemingly fully healthy again after a strong first half performance against Charlotte, while also getting enough time to heal for the LSU matchup Saturday. The Rebels will rely on a big game from Lacy to try to get the win.

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