Following a successful non-conference slate, the Ole Miss Rebels welcome Kentucky to Vaught Hemingway Stadium on Saturday morning for the start of the 2024 Southeastern Conference slate. All the expectations lead to the SEC slate, where the Rebels will put their talent to the test as they navigate an eight-game SEC slate that will push Lane Kiffin and the Rebels to the brink. Yet, coming into the Kentucky game on Saturday, there’s a vibe around the program that has the potential to produce championship-level energy matched with the talent at every position to give Ole Miss this sort of environment that is unique to Ole Miss. There’s truly something about the program under the leadership of Lane Kiffin that Ole Miss has not seen in years, which carries over to the SEC opener on Saturday morning against Kentucky.

From a matchup perspective, Ole Miss has more talent and better coaching than Kentucky; however, the Rebels lack experience against quality opponents. Kentucky comes into the game with Ole Miss with Southeastern Conference experience after playing South Carolina and Georgia at Kroger Field in the second and third games of the season.

However, despite the experience against the Gamecocks and Georgia, there’s still a talent gap between the Rebels and Wildcats at the quarterback position, in the backfield, and on defense.

Despite playing Carson Beck and holding the Georgia offense to thirteen points, Ole Miss has Jaxson Dart and a work truck filled with offensive firepower around the depth chart. Jaxson Dart comes into the Kentucky game as one of the frontrunners to win the Heisman Trophy in December and could jumpstart the campaign with a solid game against Kentucky. Dart’s favorite target is Tre Harris, who leads the Southeastern Conference in four categories and is one of eleven FBS receivers with multiple 200-yard games dating back to the 2020 season.

Kentucky’s Wildcats have a three-headed monster at wide receiver in Barion Brown, Dane Key, and Ja’Mori Maclin. All three guys have well over 1,000 career receiving yards. Ole Miss fans might remember watching Lynn Bowden play at Kentucky a few years ago; Barion Brown has drawn comparisons to that Bowden game. Kentucky also ranked up 170 yards of rushing against Georgia a few weeks ago in the 13-12 loss to the Bulldogs at Kroger Field.

Kentucky has experience with nine returning starters from the 2023 season on the defensive side of the ball. Octavious Oxendine, Keeshawn Silver, and Deone Walker hold things down for the Wildcats’ defensive line. Names like JJ Weaver, Alex Afari, Jordan Lovett, and Zion Childress add depth to the secondary and linebacker core.

Ole Miss and Kentucky will likely be a close game for the first half, with the talent of Ole Miss overcoming the Wildcats in the second half for the first Southeastern Conference win of the season for Lane Kiffin’s 100th win as a Head Coach.

Ole Miss and Kentucky will kick off at 11 a.m. on ABC.

(Photo Credits- Ole Miss and Kentucky Football on X )