The game, the build up was inevitable, and it lived up to the hype.
Ole Miss defeated LSU 32-24 in an absolute thriller Saturday night inside Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, sending their former head coach Lane Kiffin and his team back home with their first loss of the season.
The game that all college football fans had circled on their calendars since November 2025 lived up to the billing, and for both teams, there were a lot of learning points.
The Rebels executed on both ends and cleaned up struggles shown in the first two games of the season.
Sep 19, 2026; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi Rebels quarterback Trinidad Chambliss (6) passes the ball against the Louisiana State Tigers during the second quarter at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Trinidad Chambliss reminded the country how good he is tonight, although there was no reason to doubt him.
Chambliss finished the first half, 21-27, 248 yards, and two touchdowns, but the eye test provided more beauty than the stat line.
A true magician, his highlight reel plays, understanding of the game, and breathtaking ability to avoid pressure. The Rebels had a very slow third quarter, and Chambliss could not find much success against the Tigers' defense.
But in the fourth quarter, in the midst of a tie game, Chambliss showed the lights are never too bright for him. His tenacious ability to find ways to move the ball forward at any given time showcases just how good the quarterback's mind is in tough situations.
A name that has truly surprised fans is Traylon Ray, and it's a good surprise nonetheless for all Ole Miss fans.
In the first half, Ray concluded with four catches, 72 yards, and a huge touchdown catch, his first touchdown catch in an Ole Miss jersey.
Ray found ways to get open when his quarterback needed him the most, and with a strong start to the season, Ole Miss fans can expect him to continue to make big plays in a receiver room that is very diverse.
He finished the game with 115 receiving yards, leading the team. His route running, catching ability, and aggression to break tackles were on full display tonight.
Caleb Odom didn't reach the end zone tonight, but his presence on the field is one that any opposing defense has to respect , and if they don't, he will terrorize any team.
Odom finished the game with 88 receiving yards, averaging 17.6 yards per catch. His size makes him hard to stop for opposing defensive backs, and his speed makes it hard for linebackers to stop him.
The Ole Miss defense finally answered the call, the addition of Sharif Denson and Antonio Kite
The Ole Miss secondary has faced a lot of criticism through the first two games, a lot of busted coverages, and communication problems, leaving Rebel fans scratching their heads.
Sharif Denson made his first appearance for the team this season, sitting out the Louisville and Charlotte games. The Florida transfer was all over the field tonight and truly made an impact in a variety of different areas tonight.
Denson was used in a lot of different packages tonight, and although their were some things to clean up, the secondary looked increasingly better than it did in the first two games.
Antonio Kite was another noticeable figure, not on the field for much of the Louisville game and not appearing at all against Charlotte.
The senior is a veteran leader of this team, eclipsing 34 total tackles for the team last season. Kite's presence to match up against slot receivers and his open-field tackling ability helped the secondary get back to a respectable level.
The California transfer proved to be one of, if not the best, offseason additions for the team tonight. Ferelli was a man among boys, sideline-to-sideline all night; his presence put the LSU offense in a lot of uncomfortable situations.
Ferrelli showcased incredible speed, game recognition, and strong open-field tackling tonight. His speed coming from the second level helped put pressure on Sam Leavitt all night long; he showed just how powerful it is for a defense to have an attacking, physical, and smart linebacker.
Six total tackles don't do his performance justice. One of the most talked-about offseason moves proved to be worth every penny for Pete Golding and Ole Miss tonight.
Kewan Lacy continued to deal with injuries tonight, being removed from the game in the third quarter due to an apparent "shoulder injury", and not returning.
The offense became stagnant when Lacy went out, a passing attack that relied on his checkdowns, and a run game that was elevated due to his elusiveness, didn't have much success in the third quarter when he went out.
JT Lindsey eclipsed 20 yards rushing on four attempts tonight, and the offense became one-dimensional with an obvious passing attack in the third quarter.
Lindsey, Fraizer, and Joshua Dye will have to be pivotal options for this team this season, and one of those guys has to be available in the pass-blocking game just like Lacy.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/olemiss as Five Biggest Takeaways from Ole Miss' Monumental Win Over LSU .
