Ole Miss football loses to Kentucky in first tough game

OXFORD − There’s a downside to 11 a.m. kicks for Ole Miss football coach Lane Kiffin. When games start in the morning, it’s harder to move on from a loss.

“It’s 3 o’clock, so you’ve got all day to sit around and deal with this,” Kiffin said. “It could have went our way so many different ways and we didn’t make the plays. We didn’t close them out.”

Ole Miss lost 20-17 to Kentucky at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on Saturday. It was a cool, overcast homecoming game with a record crowd of 67,616 on hand to watch. That record wasn’t announced midgame on the videoboard.

As nervousness turned into dread, there weren’t many times where the fans were ready to celebrate. After four weeks of decimating teams, No. 6 Ole Miss (4-1, 0-1 SEC) played poorly in offense, defense and special teams. Kentucky (3-2, 1-2) took advantage.

That’s what made Saturday especially long for Kiffin. The loss was a result of team-wide scuffling.

“All three phases had chances to win the game, or at least tie the game, and didn’t do it,” Kiffin said. “Credit (Kentucky). Big win for them. But very discouraging, disappointing.”

Ole Miss special team’s chance was evident with 48 seconds to go. Senior kicker Caden Davis’ potential game-tying field goal sailed wide left. There was more to it than that, though.

The Rebels’ offense entered the game averaging 582 yards per game. On Saturday they gained 353. Third downs were especially problematic. Ole Miss moved the chains just once in 10 third-down snaps.

“We got caught in too many ‘third-and-longs’ and we play in the SEC and that’s really hard to convert,” quarterback Jaxson Dart said. “There’s a lot of things that we need to look at on tape and find ways not to be in that situation again.”

A season-low offensive output combined with lackluster defensive play. The Rebels defense did come up big at times, especially the defensive front that sacked Kentucky quarterback Brock Vandagriff five times. Surrendering late big plays and penalties, though, doomed the Rebels defense.

With Kentucky in desperation mode facing fourth-and-7 on its 20-yard line, the Wildcats hit a 63-yard pass down the left sideline with 3:49 left. Vandagriff stood in the pocket against pressure and sailed a deep ball to Barion Brown that beat man coverage with a go route. It led to the eventual game-tying touchdown.

“There’s good moments and there’s bad moments, we have to do a better job of relating to routes and making plays on the ball,” safety Trey Washington said. “We just have to get better overall as a team.”

Kiffin said all three phases playing poorly simultaneously was too much to overcome.

“Those things just aren’t going to add up very well,” Kiffin said.

Sam Hutchens covers Ole Miss for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at Shutchens@gannett.com or reach him on X at @Sam_Hutchens_