For a crew with School Soccer Playoff aspirations, it is an unacceptable loss. For a crew coached by Kiffin, it is precisely what followers ought to count on.
Over the previous 4 seasons, Ole Miss has overwhelmed up lesser groups whereas persistently falling brief in opposition to groups in its weight class.
A season in the past, the Rebels misplaced to Alabama and Georgia by a mixed rating of 76-27 and went 11-0 of their different video games.
In 2022, Ole Miss pale down the stretch after a 7-0 begin, ending the season 8-5. The season earlier than that, in 2021, it was outscored by a landing per sport in its 5 video games in opposition to ranked opponents.
Ole Miss entered Week 5 wanting like one of many nation’s greatest groups. Nonetheless, its cupcake nonconference schedule made the Rebels seem significantly better than they’re.
Ole Miss (4-1, 0-1 in SEC) was simply 1-of-10 on third downs in opposition to Kentucky, and the offense stalled after an opening-drive landing, gaining solely 270 yards over its remaining 10 sequence.
The Rebels gained 353 yards, 317.8 yards beneath their season common coming into Saturday.
Ole Miss’s promising season might shortly collapse if it does not rebound. In Week 6, it travels to South Carolina (3-1, 1-1 in SEC), which beat Kentucky 31-6 earlier this season. It is adopted by a highway sport in opposition to No. 14 LSU (3-1, 1-0 in SEC) and a house date in opposition to No. 21 Oklahoma (3-1, 0-1 in SEC).
The robust five-game slate ends with a highway sport in opposition to Arkansas (3-1, 1-0 in SEC) and a showdown in opposition to No. 2 Georgia (3-0, 1-0 in SEC) at residence.
Earlier than Saturday, Ole Miss appeared primed to make severe noise within the SEC. Nonetheless, with its loss to Kentucky, Ole Miss continues to be the identical underperforming program it is all the time been since Kiffin took over.
