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It was one of the biggest upsets in Week 5 when the Kentucky Wildcats walked into Vaught-Hemingway Stadium and pulled off a stunning 20-17 victory over the then-No. 6 Ole Miss Rebels in an SEC showdown.
The Rebels (4-1) were expected to have a relatively smooth path to the College Football Playoff—by SEC standards at least—but instead, they stumbled against Kentucky last Saturday.
Even after the Wildcats (3-2) managed to give Georgia a scare two weeks earlier, most expected Ole Miss to handle its business. After all, the Rebels had dominated their previous four opponents, outscoring them 220-39. They weren't supposed to face a serious challenge until this weekend’s matchup against South Carolina or the following week’s game against No. 13 LSU.
“Very discouraging outcome. Really disappointed for our fans, who I thought really showed up with really good energy in the second half as we took the lead,” Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin said about the loss, per SI. “We really have no one to blame but ourselves for a whole lot of different areas, being in a one-play game like that and doing a lot of things wrong just to get to that spot.”
Give credit to Mark Stoops and his more aggressive approach against Ole Miss, but Kiffin is right—the Rebels have no one to blame but themselves. The question now is: Who deserves the most blame for Ole Miss' loss to Kentucky?
Tre Harris fumble on 18-yard line in second half
Down by three midway through the third quarter, the Rebels were driving and made it to the Kentucky 24-yard line after Jaxson Dart connected with Tre Harris on a 39-yard pass. Henry Parrish Jr. followed with a five-yard gain, setting Ole Miss up at the 19. However, on the next play, Harris fumbled, handing the ball back to the Wildcats.
The play went under review, but the officials confirmed what was already clear—Harris lost the ball. The turnover cost Ole Miss a potential game-tying field goal or even a go-ahead touchdown, stalling what had been one of the Rebels' best drives of the day.
Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss offense, ineffective against Kentucky
A Heisman Trophy hopeful entering the game, Jaxson Dart didn’t leave with his candidacy intact. Dart completed just 18 passes against Kentucky, his lowest total of the season, resulting in a 66.7% completion rate—also a season low.
Dart and the Rebels entered the matchup boasting one of the top-ranked offenses in the country, fueled by dominant wins in the first four weeks over lesser opponents that included just one Power 4 team. However, Kentucky and their defensive front proved to be a tougher challenge, sacking Dart four times. The Wildcats held Ole Miss to a dismal 1-of-10 on third downs and dominated time of possession, controlling the ball for 39:43 compared to the Rebels' 20:17.
Trey Amos' two penalties before the end of the first half
Rebels defensive back Trey Amos was flagged for pass interference on a third-and-10 pass intended for Kentucky receiver Dane Key. While the infraction wasn't necessarily egregious, it handed the Wildcats a free first down. Later in the drive, Amos was called for holding Key in the end zone, resulting in another first down for Kentucky. The Wildcats capitalized on the very next play, with Brock Vandagriff completing a 5-yard touchdown pass to Key that gave Kentucky a 10-7 lead going into the half.
Caden Davis hooks 48-yard field goal attempt to tie the game
When Kentucky's Josh Kattus recovered the fumble that put the Wildcats ahead, Ole Miss was left with just 2:25 on the clock to either tie the game or take the lead. The Rebels’ ensuing eight-play drive was sloppy, with Jaxson Dart struggling to move the ball downfield. Their progress was briefly helped by a Kentucky defensive offside penalty, putting the ball near the 30-yard line. The pressure then shifted to kicker Caden Davis. Unfortunately for the Rebels, Davis severely hooked the kick, stunning the Ole Miss fanbase and sealing the game for Kentucky.
