Confident Ulysses Bentley Reveals Rebels' Mindset Following Magnolia Bowl Win

The Ole Miss Rebels running back provided some insight on team mood as well as preparation for Arkansas on Tuesday.

OXFORD, Miss. -- Ole Miss Rebels running back Ulysses Bentley IV has carved out a role on this year's team, and his impact against the LSU Tigers last week helped solidify that.

Bentley (and the rest of the Ole Miss offense) had a superb night on Saturday, putting up over 700 total yards and 55 points. With that success in the rearview mirror, what's the mindset of the team after holding on and knocking off LSU?

"It's definitely built more confidence," Bentley said in media availability on Tuesday. "We had the loss against Bama, so we all just came in the next week and knew we had to bring it to LSU. This week, we're going to play really hard. It's a hard team to play, but we're ready to go."

Sep 30, 2023; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi Rebels running back Ulysses Bentley IV (24) runs the ball as Tigers linebacker Harold Perkins Jr. (4) and defensive back Andre' Sam (14) make the tackle during the second half at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports

That "hard team to play" is none other than the Arkansas Razorbacks. Sam Pittman's Hogs have stumbled in recent weeks as losers of three straight, but Arkansas always seems to show up and play Ole Miss with intensity.

After an emotional win last week, the Rebels are focused on not having a proverbial "hangover" and dropping a game that, on paper, it should win on Saturday. Ole Miss is currently favored by 11.5 points over Arkansas this weekend.

"We've been working each and every day to build that confidence up," Bentley said. "We know the tasks we have to do this week. We know we have to play hard this week."

Bentley and the Rebels will welcome Arkansas to Vaught-Hemingway Stadium at 6:30 p.m. CT on Saturday. The game will be televised on SEC Network.