Quarterback
Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart is off to a historic start; his 1,554 passing yards lead the nation and are the most by an SEC quarterback in the first four games of a season in the last 20 years, per ESPN. He has thrown for at least 370 yards in every game this year and has 15 total touchdowns. Kentucky turned to Georgia transfer Brock Vandagriff this season, and the results have been somewhat uneven. Vandagriff is completing 58.2% of his passes for 550 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions.
Edge: Ole Miss
Running back
Ole Miss averages 248 yards per game on the ground — 12th nationally and third in the SEC — while the Wildcats average 165.8 yards per game rushing, good for 67th nationally and 11th in the conference. Henry Parrish has 427 rushing yards this season, which is fourth in the SEC and 13th in the country. Demie Sumo-Karngbaye leads Kentucky with 274 rushing yards.
Edge: Ole Miss
Wide receiver/tight end
Tre Harris leads the SEC in receiving by nearly 300 yards and is second nationally in the category with 628 yards. Antwane Wells Jr. and Cayden Lee have 274 yards and 256 yards, respectively, and Jordan Watkins and Caden Prieskorn haven’t really even gotten going yet. Kentucky’s Dane Key leads the Wildcats with 264 yards.
Edge: Ole Miss
Offensive line
The Rebels still aren’t at full strength up front, but the offensive line has still largely managed to bully its first four opponents. That will be a tougher task this week against Kentucky, but the group seems to have gotten better each week. Kentucky’s offensive line has had its ups and downs this year, having already given up 10 sacks.
Edge: Ole Miss
Defensive line
Kentucky’s Deone Walker and Ole Miss’ Walter Nolen are two of the best interior defenders in college football. Both teams are stout on their defensive fronts, but Ole Miss likely gets the edge here if defensive end Jared Ivey is able to play after missing the Georgia Southern game. Both teams excel in stopping the run, and a big part of that is because their respective defensive lines cause consistent mayhem.
Edge: Ole Miss
Linebacker
TJ Dottery missed last week’s game, but Chris Paul Jr. kept his strong play going with a 10-tackle performance. The linebacker spot has also been key in the Rebels’ strong start against the run, as Dottery and Paul have been extremely active and always seem to know where the ball is. Jamon Dumas-Johnson was a preseason third-team All-SEC pick and has made 138 tackles in his career.
Edge: Even
Secondary
Ole Miss’ secondary has been inconsistent this season, as the Rebels give up 204.5 yards per game, which is 11th in the SEC. Kentucky, meanwhile, gives up 142.3 yards per game, which is sixth in the conference and 21st nationally. Kentucky’s Maxwell Hairston was a preseason first-team All-SEC pick and intercepted five passes in 2023.
Edge: Kentucky
Special teams
Kentucky’s Barion Brown is one of the most explosive returners in the country and is averaging 19.7 yards per return. He’s returned four kickoffs for touchdowns in his career, with three coming last season. Brown can flip a game’s field position in an instant. Kentucky is ranked in the top 25 in both kickoff return and punt return defense. Ole Miss has allowed just one punt to be returned, and it went for zero yards. The Rebels allow 15.8 yards per kickoff return, which is 30th nationally.
Edge: Kentucky
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