No. 19 Texas vs. No. 7 Ole Miss opponent preview: Rebels head to Austin for first matchup as conference foes

With a 5-1 record and Top 10 ranking, the No. 7 Ole Miss Rebels head to Austin on Saturday to face off against a struggling Texas Longhorns team that dropped to No. 19 in the AP Top 25 after consecutive losses to unranked opponents.

The first matchup between the two foes in 13 years, Saturday’s battle is the first as conference opponents with the Longhorns leading the all time series 6-2.

After a deep College Football Playoff run to the semifinals last season also featured controversy with former head coach Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss and first-year head coach Pete Golding are continuing that success — the Rebels already have three ranked wins and have bounced back with consecutive wins after getting beaten by Florida.

The Rebels boast one of the most prolific passing attacks in the SEC behind star quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, who is joined by an elite duo in running back Kewan Lacy and wide receiver Deuce Alexander.

Defensively, Ole Miss has been inconsistent, giving up 40-plus points in two matchups, but also holding multiple conference opponents to under 20 points. Golding was promoted from the defensive coordinator position, giving his team a clear identity and scheme continuity that isn’t traditional for first-year head coaches.

The matchup on Saturday is the biggest road test for the Rebels and yet another litmus test of whether Ole Miss will be a national title contender this year.

Here’s how the Rebels stack up position by position.

Offense

Quarterback

Ole Miss has one of the most experienced and dangerous quarterbacks in the nation in Trinidad Chambliss, who has been electric after taking over the starting role during the middle of last season, currently ranking third in the Heisman Trophy odds at FanDuel.

Through six games, he has accumulated 1,676 yards on a 67.6 completion percentage with 14 touchdowns and four interceptions.

However, Chambliss does his best work when navigating the pocket. His ability to extend plays and use his legs makes him extremely difficult to defend. You can’t just get pressure on him, you must maintain rush-lane integrity and perhaps even devote a spy to defending him, otherwise he will make plays with his legs.

Facing one of the sports biggest stars, the Texas defense has a monumental challenges on Saturday. The priority has to be making the offense one dimensional and maintaining discipline when rushing the passer.

Running back

Joining Chambliss in the backfield is another star in running back Kewan Lacy. A year ago, Lacy was recognized as an All-American behind his 1,567 rushing yards and 24 touchdowns. Through five games, with one missed due to injury, he has recorded 352 rushing yards and five touchdowns while averaging 5.7 yards per attempt.

Lacy has shown to be tough and injury-prone. He missed a game earlier this season thanks to a shoulder injury and was banged up against Missouri with a lower-body issue. However, neither stopped him. Despite missing most of the second quarter last Saturday, he still rushed for a season-high 122 yards on 16 carries.

If Lacy can manage to play the full game on Saturday, he is lethal and will be playing with an extra chip on his shoulder.

“It’s going to mean a lot, just coming back home,” Lacey said. “It’s a hometown game, so I’m excited to have all my family, friends there.”

The Lancaster product was a Texas fan during his childhood and actually wanted to become a Longhorn, but he ended up signing with Missouri after Texas failed to extend an offer in the 2024 recruiting cycle, signing Jerrick Gibson and Christian Clark instead.

“I wanted to commit to UT,” Lacy said at SEC Media Days in July. “That was my dream my freshman year, I wanted to go to Texas. But my process throughout my high school career, I never really got an opportunity from them.”

Come Saturday, Lacy will have a huge opportunity to showcase what the Longhorns missed out on. If he can’t go, the Rebels will turn to transfer Mekhi Frazier and freshman JT Lindsey to handle the load. Frazier arrived on campus this past season after leading Michigan State in rushing yards last year.

He’s recorded 254 yards on 45 carries this season.

Wide receiver

The leading threat in the pass game is Deuce Alexander, but the Rebels possess a deep and talented wide out room with plenty of players that can help move the ball.

Alexander caught 44 passes for 684 yards and two touchdowns last year behind second-round draft pick De’Zhaun Stribling, while adding 122 yards on the ground. This season as WR1, he’s nearly reached that mark halfway through the year with 35 catches for 523 yards and five touchdowns.

At 14.9 yards per catch, Alexander is a downfield threat that can generate chunk plays in a hurry. He started his career in the slot but has emerged as a player that can use his speed from any point on the field. His top-end speed is elite and forces the defense to shade over to prevent the deep ball.

Behind Alexander are Traylon Ray and Horatio Fields, who have combined for 39 catches and 509 yards this season. Ray is another downfield option while Fields is a more reliable target that can shoulder the load when defenses prioritize Alexander and Ray.

Former Longhorn Johntay Cook is also on the roster and has recorded eight catches for 74 yards and a score.

Tight end

Tight end Caleb Odom is another reliable threat for Chambliss. In five games, he’s tallied 21 catches for 267 yards and two touchdowns, which slots him second on the team in receptions.

Odom is a drive-extending pass catcher. At 12.7 yards per reception and a season long of 35 yards, he’s not going to decimate a defense down the field, but rather provide Chambliss with an intermediate option.

Most importantly, Odom can attack the middle of the field and provide matchup problems when opposing defense are forced to prioritize Alexander or stack the box to stop Lacy.

The 6’5, 245-pound junior is in his second season at Ole Miss after appearing in 12 games for Alabama as a freshman in 2024. He’s stepped up dramatically after seeing just a handful of targets last year and has positioned himself as a legitimate threat this season.

If you can somehow stop the run, minimize Chambliss’ legs, and cover the wideouts, Odom can decimate you on quick passes and intermediate throws.

Offensive line

The Ole Miss offensive line comes to Austin riding high after one of the best performances of the season last week. The Rebels ran for 257 yards while averaging 6.7 yards per carry last week, and the front five as a whole graded as the highest unit in the country, according to Pro Football Network.

Heading into the year, the offensive line had holes to fill thanks to two NFL departures. A host of transfers were brought in and have done a solid job in six games.

Leading the way is right guard Patrick Kutas, while left tackle Terez Davis is another steady presence on the other side of the line.

Disrupting the line up front will be key to stopping the run and disrupting Chambliss. If Texas can win up front without needing to stack the box, the Longhorn defense will be in a good spot.

As a whole, the offense for Ole Miss can attack a defense in a variety of ways. With elite skill position players that can rack up huge plays and one of the best quarterbacks in the country, the Longhorn defense has their work cut out for them.

Winning individual battles will be key on Saturday. With a multi-dimensional offense that can attack you in so many different ways, Muschamp will need to pick and choose who he leaves on an island and hope that they succeed.

Defense

The defense is headed by Bryan Brown, who is the sole defensive coordinator after sharing the role with Golding before Golding’s promotion.

Though Brown is the defensive coordinator, this unit is heavily influenced by Golding, who likes to use a mix of twists and stunts to create pressure and stop the run game up front. This year, the unit has been middle of the pack in conference play.

The unit suffocated Missouri and Vanderbilt, but also gave up 52 to Florida. Running the ball has proven most effective against Ole Miss, a part of the game Texas hasn’t looked exceptional at.

Here are the key Rebels to keep an eye on.

Defensive line

Leading the charge up front is defensive tackle Will Echoles, an established disruptor. As a sophomore last season, Echoles was recognized as first-team All-SEC, according to the AP, after registering five sacks, 11.5 tackles for loss, and 68 total tackles. According to Pro Football Focus, he led the Power Four in pressures and defensive stops.

When Echoles isn’t getting pressure, he utilizes his hands very well. Last season, he batted down the ninth-most passes among all defensive linemen in college football.

This season, he’s already gotten off to a hot start with 18 tackles and 1.5 sacks. He will undoubtedly impact the game so ensuring Echoles doesn’t do so routinely will be key for the Longhorn offense.

On the edge, Cam Franklin and Blake Purchase can disrupt plays if not blocked properly. Purchase leads the team with 3.5 sacks while also adding 23 tackles and a forced fumble. He shined against Vanderbilt with a two-sack performance.

If the Longhorns can’t keep a clean pocket, the Texas offense will struggle. The Ole Miss front four isn’t the most talented in the conference, but still has more than enough players to attack inside or on the edge.

Linebacker

The teeth of the defense is the linebacker room. Led by Suntarine Perkins with heavy contributions from Luke Ferrelli, Keaton Thomas, and Tah’j Butler, this group is the best unit in Golding’s defense.

Perkins is a hybrid-style player with great speed and athleticism. He’s good in coverage and can rush the passer. Two years ago he recorded 10.5 sacks for the Rebels.

Ferrelli is the leading tackler for the Rebels and has become a great piece for Golding after a controversial offseason in which Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney accused Golding of tampering after Ferrelli committed to the Tigers, but changed his mind and opted to join Golding. Originally at Cal, Ferrelli was the ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year last season and has continued that success with a team leading 39 tackles in addition to two sacks.

Thomas has been strong against the run and in tackling but has struggled in pass coverage, something Texas can exploit come Saturday.

As a whole, the linebackers have experience, top end talent, and depth making them an important part of the Ole Miss defense.

Secondary

Cornerback Jaylon Braxton and safety Joenel Aguero are the two premier defenders on the back end.

Braxton lines up on the outside opposite of Antonio Kite, the other corner for the Rebels. Braxton is an experienced defender and will flash his hat tackling. He’s got 23 tackles and an interception to his name this year. While he will give up catches, he does a good job limited yardage.

Meanwhile, Kite brings a veteran presence after starting 12 games for Ole Miss last year. He’s had a solid year, grading at 69.9 in coverage according to Pro Football Focus.

Playing free safety, Aguero is a versatile defender in his first season at Ole Miss after spending three season as a Georgia Bulldog in which he appeared in 35 games including starting all 12 last season. A former top-100 national recruit, Aguero spent his time in Athens at nickel before making the transition to safety this season.

He’s a downhill defender, but his skills at safety remain somewhat untested with just six games at the position.

If the Rebels trust their secondary against the Longhorns, expect a heavy dose of pressure up front, something that previous defenses have exposed against Texas.

Special teams

Senior Lucas Carneiro is the kicker for the Rebels. He’s perfect on extra points and has connected on 9-of-11 (81.8 percent) field goals this season after making 31 field goals for Ole Miss last season.

Oscar Bird handles punting duties. He’s averaged 46.83 yards per punt and has downed six of his 18 punts inside the 20 yard line.

The return game hasn’t been a huge difference maker this year. Alexander handles punt returns and averages 9.2 yards per return while the Rebels’ longest kickoff return is 26 yards this year.

Stopping the Ole Miss offense will be the biggest test for the Longhorns. After turning in their worst performance of the season last week, bouncing back against the talented Rebel skill position group and Chambliss would be huge for the Texas defense.

On the other side of the ball, the well-documented offensive struggles for the Longhorns face off against a getable defense. Ole Miss can give up yards on the ground and points in general. This is an opportunity for the Texas offense to get back on track.

Kickoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Central on Saturday on ABC.