What We’re Looking for From No. 4 Ole Miss at No. 21 Florida

OXFORD, Miss. — Gainesville hasn’t been kind to Ole Miss in recent years. Well, actually, it’s been almost 20 years since the Rebels walked out of Ben Hill Griffin Stadium with a victory.

Ole Miss is just two days out from its latest appearance in The Swamp, as it gears up to battle a new-look Florida program led by first-year head coach Jon Sumrall. Both the Rebels and Gators will enter Saturday with 3-0 records, coming off wins in their first conference games of the season last weekend.

In Week 3, Ole Miss beat LSU, 32-24, behind what was a statement game for Trinidad Chambliss. The Rebels’ star quarterback emerged as the betting Heisman Trophy favorite after throwing for 363 yards and totaling three touchdowns while completing nearly 70 percent of his passes.

Ole Miss turned the page to Florida following Sunday’s film session in the Manning Center. As we look ahead to another top-25 matchup this weekend, here are three things Ole Miss On SI wants to learn about the fourth ranked Rebels in Week 4.

Depth at Running Back

Ole Miss running back JT Lindsey (26) carries the ball during a college football game between Ole Miss and LSU at Vaught Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, Miss., on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026. Ole Miss defeated LSU 32-24. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Pete Golding revealed earlier in the week that starting running back Kewan Lacy will be a ‘game-time decision’ against Florida, due to a shoulder injury. Meaning Lacy may or may not play depending on how warm-ups go for him on Saturday. Despite all the uncertainty surrounding his status, one thing is certain; Lacy won’t be near 100 percent healthy. Ole Miss’ depth at the position will be tested again.

With Michigan State transfer running back Makhi Frazier off the initial SEC availability report, there is plenty of optimism that he will see carries for the first time since Week 2. If Lacy can’t go or finds himself on a snap count, Frazier and JT Lindsey will be leaned on to help create balance for the Rebels’ offense. The two proved they could be effective together during the second half of Ole Miss’ Week 1 win over Louisville, when Lacy missed the majority of the final two quarters due to a thigh injury. With Frazier and Lacy during last week’s second half, Ole Miss leaned on Lindsey again to get the job done in spurts.

For what it’s worth, Ole Miss On SI expects Lacy to dress for the game, but that doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll take a single snap. We’ll see what his workload, and the room around him, will look like soon enough.

Run Defense

Sep 6, 2026; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Louisville Cardinals quarterback Lincoln Kienholz (3) carries the ball as Mississippi Rebels defensive end Blake Purchase (3) defends during the third quarter at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

While its secondary has taken most of the hits so far this season when nitpicking at Ole Miss’ 3-0 start, its run defense has struggled mightily to start the year. The Rebels have allowed an average of 159 rushing yards per game, ranking 85th in the country and near dead last in the SEC (No. 14) through the first quarter of the season.

Ole Miss has gone up against two formidable rushing attacks, but the Rebels challenge up front doesn’t get any easier this weekend. Florida junior running back Jadan Baugh has already racked up 458 rushing yards (second-most in FBS) and eight touchdowns on 54 carries (8.4 YPC).

The Gators’ physical runner has the Rebels’ full attention on the defensive side of the ball.

"He's a pretty big back," Ole Miss defensive end Blake Purchase noted of Baugh this week. "He's got good speed. He's got good balance. He's forced a lot of broken tackles. We've got to do a good job of wrapping him up and getting him on the ground. He's physical out there and has a good stiff-arm."

“I used to see (Baugh) every day. He runs under his pads,” Florida transfer safety Sharif Denson explained. “He's very strong in the weight room, very strong on the field. He has good hands, good pass block. He really can do everything."

By Saturday, we’ll find out if Ole Miss’ struggling run defense can at least limit Florida’s attack on the ground.

Transfer Gators Impact

Sep 19, 2026; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi Rebels safety Sharif Denson (7) reacts after a play against LSU — Sep 19, 2026; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi Rebels safety Sharif Denson (7) 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

Two of Ole Miss’ headliners on the defensive side of the ball are defensive tackle Michai Boireau and the aforementioned safety Sharif Denson. Both were with the Gators last season and spent at least two seasons in Gainesville.

Denson just made his debut for the Rebels against LSU and made a tangible impact on the improved play in the defensive backfield. As a senior, Denson provides a lot of value as a communicator and veteran presence. In Week 3, Denson led the game in total tackles (nine), including a tackle for loss.

The 6-foot-5, 355 pounder in Boireau has just three tackles on the season, but has made an impact in delivering pressure in the offensive backfield.

“I brought up Michai about a month ago. I’m like y’all don't know who he is right now. But after these games, you’re going to ask ‘who’s 88?’. He’s 330 (pounds), heavy-handed and he can move for a big boy,” Golding said of Boireau on Thursday on RebTalk. “There’s been a lot of focus on Will (Echoles), that’s creating some opportunities for people. I think Michai has played really well.”

Some may worry about the Rebels inability to put last Saturday’s game behind them, but rest assured these are two players that have had their own ‘homecoming’ circled more than the one that happened in Oxford in Week 3.

Could both be motivated to make their presence felt in a big way against former teammates? We’ll be looking out for it.

“It’s a different coaching staff. Defensive coordinator and head coach, I left before I even talked to them so I don’t have a connection with them. Just playing against my old teammates though, that’s going to be fun,” Denson said Tuesday. “It’s going to be an experience (to) definitely get back on the field with them.”

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