OXFORD – Dec. 20 will mark exactly three months since the last time Ole Miss and Tulane took the field at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. The stakes this time around, however, are far greater.
The No. 6 seed Rebels (11-1) host the No. 11 seed Green Wave (11-2) for the first round of the 2025 College Football Playoff. It will be the first CFP appearance for both programs; Tulane received its bid as the champion of the American Athletic Conference, while Ole Miss received an at-large bid following the first 11-win regular season in program history.
The teams met in Week 4 of this season, a 45-10 Ole Miss win. A lot has happened since then, though, as Pete Golding is roaming the sidelines for Ole Miss and Jon Sumrall is the new head coach at Florida, though he’s staying with Tulane through the playoff. Both teams have developed firm identities since that late September contest.
Here is a look at how the teams match up in their second – and most important – meeting of the 2025 season.
Ole Miss’ offense vs. Tulane’s defense
Rebels senior quarterback Trinidad Chambliss is the straw that stirs the Ole Miss offense’s drink. Since taking over as quarterback in Week 3, the Ferris State transfer has averaged 340.6 yards of offense per game; that mark would be first nationally had he started the first two games of the season. Chambliss has just one start where he threw for less than 250 yards; he threw for 307 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 112 yards in the first matchup between the teams.
Tulane is 121st nationally in passing yards allowed per game (255.2) but is tied for the 12th-most interceptions in the FBS (15). Six of Tulane’s opponents threw for at least 290 yards, and eight opponents threw at least two touchdown passes against the Green Wave. Chambliss is completing 56.1% of his throws of at least 20 yards with five touchdowns and two interceptions, according to Pro Football Focus.
Ole Miss recommitted to the run this offseason, and sophomore running back Kewan Lacy has been one of the Rebels’ breakout stars. The Missouri transfer and Doak Walker Award finalist has rushed for 1,279 yards (ninth nationally) and 20 touchdowns (second). According to PFF, Lacy has 858 yards after contact – a whopping 67% of his total yardage – and has forced 86 missed tackles. He also has 33 runs of at least 10 yards. Chambliss has 470 rushing yards and has 17 rushes of 10 yards or more. Tulane is 30th nationally in rushing yards per game allowed (120.4), though the Rebels ran for 241 yards in their September matchup. According to CFBStats, Tulane has allowed 56 runs of at least 10 yards.
The Green Wave are 25th nationally in sacks per game (2.62); Ole Miss is tied for 21st nationally at 1.33 sacks per game allowed. Tulane had one sack in the Sept. 20 game. The Green Wave have been opportunistic, having forced 24 turnovers (tied for eighth-most nationally) in 13 games.
Tulane’s offense vs. Ole Miss’ defense
Tulane didn’t have much luck against Ole Miss the first time around this year, racking up a season-low 282 yards of offense. The Green Wave struggled throwing the ball in particular, as Tulane quarterbacks completed less than 35% of their passes for 104 yards. The Rebels’ pass defense has been a strength for most of this season, as they surrender 182.6 yards per game, good for 20th in the FBS. Just two opponents have thrown for 250 or more yards against Ole Miss this season.
Tulane’s Jake Retzlaff has thrown for 2,862 yards, 14 touchdowns and six interceptions but has another 610 yards and 16 touchdowns rushing. Retzlaff is the Green Wave’s leading rusher, though Tulane has three rushers with at least 450 yards. Retzlaff is completing 41% of his passes of 20 yards or more with six touchdowns and four interceptions, per PFF.
Ole Miss has had its ups and downs against the run this season; the Rebels are 70th nationally at 150.5 yards per game allowed but have surrendered 220 or more rushing yards three times. In the Rebels’ regular-season finale, Mississippi State quarterback Kamario Taylor ran for 173 yards and two touchdowns. According to CFBStats, Ole Miss has surrendered 47 runs of at least 10 yards. Retzlaff has forced just six missed tackles this year as a runner but has 217 yards after contact, per PFF. He also leads the team with 20 rushes of at least 10 yards.
Tulane has allowed 10 sacks this season, sixth-fewest in the nation. Ole Miss averages 2.08 sacks per game, tied for 62nd nationally. After racking up just five sacks over the first five games of the season, the Rebels have notched 20 sacks over the last seven games. The Rebels did not log a sack against Tulane in September.
Chambliss named SEC Newcomer of the Year
Chambliss, who transferred to Ole Miss from Division II Ferris State in the offseason, was named the SEC Newcomer of the Year by the league’s coaches on Wednesday. He is 9-1 as the Rebels’ starter and has 3,486 combined yards passing and rushing and 24 total touchdowns.
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