OXFORD – Oklahoma’s vaunted defensive line and pass rush reminds Ole Miss senior offensive tackle Jayden Williams a lot of a group he saw up close and personal a year ago.

The No. 13 Sooners have the nation’s No. 2 scoring defense, surrendering 9.4 points per game, and are tied for the national lead with 28 sacks through seven games. Oklahoma also ranks third nationally in rushing yards per game allowed (80.4) and leads the nation in tackles-for-loss per game (10.7).

A season ago, Ole Miss had the nation’s No. 2 scoring and rush defense and led college football in tackles-for-loss and sacks per game. The connection wasn’t difficult for Williams to make.

No. 8 Ole Miss (6-1, 3-1 SEC) plays at Oklahoma (6-1, 2-1) Saturday at 11 a.m. The game will be broadcast on ABC.

“This is like our group last year, more than anything. You have all the production up there in the front, you have good players who are young, you have experienced players, you just have a whole lot,” Williams said. “So I think it’d be more of a – not a specifically other team, more of our team last year in terms of production and what they have on their D-line.”

Oklahoma’s defense has a 91.7 grade this season, according to Pro Football Focus. Five different Sooners have at least two sacks, led by defensive lineman R Mason Thomas’ 5.5, and defensive lineman Taylor Wein leads the SEC with 10.5 tackles-for-loss.

It’s a defense that Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin compared to an offense in the way it attacks.

“They have really good players that are coached really well. That’s a really good combination,” Kiffin said. “ … I feel like (Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables) plays (defense) kind of like … some offenses play sometimes, where it’s like, he has them and he has them down and he doesn’t get conservative. He’s going to really try to keep going. … He just never lets up. And I think that that’s not necessarily always how defensive coaches call it. … So, I think he’s taken that mindset, and he really knocks people out.”

After a tough start to the season due in large part to preseason injuries, Ole Miss’ offensive line has found its stride in recent weeks. The Rebels have allowed seven sacks this season, which is tied for second-fewest in the SEC and tied for 15th nationally. Ole Miss has not allowed a sack in two of its last three games, though Washington State was able to notch three on Oct. 11. The Rebels’ 30 tackles-for-loss allowed is fourth-fewest in the SEC.

“I think we’re playing real good together,” Williams said. “ … We had injuries in camp, people floating in and out. So, especially from Week 1 to Week 2 to Week 3, each and every week we get better because we actually get to play beside each other for more than three days at a time. So, I think that’s a big part of it, and that’s why we’re playing better than we were at the beginning of the year.”