OXFORD – Ole Miss sophomore running back Kewan Lacy has been just what the No. 17 Rebels needed.
Lacy, a first-year transfer from Missouri, leads the SEC with 246 rushing yards and four touchdowns. After running for 104 yards total as a freshman, Lacy has established career highs in each of Ole Miss’ (2-0, 1-0 SEC) first two games. He ran for 138 yards last weekend at Kentucky and was named the Doak Walker Award Player of the Week.
Lacy is one of just seven Rebels “in available records” to have at least 200 rushing yards through two games and one of six to have at least four rushing touchdowns through two contests, per Ole Miss. Lacy has also excelled in his pass blocking; his 81.2 grade is 12th nationally, according to Pro Football Focus.
The Rebels, who averaged their fewest rushing yards per game under head coach Lane Kiffin last season, are currently tied for 17th nationally with Arkansas at 257.5 rushing yards per game. Ole Miss hosts the Razorbacks on Saturday at 6 p.m. at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, and the game will be broadcast on ESPN. It’s the first of four straight home games for the Rebels.
“It just gives me a boost, knowing that I (have) been acknowledged for something,” Lacy said. “ … It’s just going to keep me driving forward, trying to keep stacking days.”
Lacy’s explosive 33-yard run late in the fourth quarter against the Wildcats helped the Rebels get into field goal range and go ahead by double digits with just over a minute to play. Lacy had four runs of at least 10 yards in the game and carried the ball six times in the fourth quarter; the Rebels threw just one pass in the fourth compared to 13 runs.
With a four-point lead against Kentucky heading into the fourth quarter last season, the Rebels ran the ball six times for one yard in an eventual upset loss. With a seven-point lead after three quarters in 2025, Ole Miss turned to its running game with everything on the line over the final 15 minutes. All of the Rebels’ 60 fourth-quarter yards came via the run.
“We take running in general as, we have to take pride in that. So, I feel like that just them leaning on me is just … my job I have to do,” Lacy said. “So, I feel like it’s my responsibility here: run the ball.”
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