Despite Win, Ole Miss Football's Running Game Struggled vs. Oklahoma

Ole Miss got the job done on Saturday against Oklahoma, but the ground game left a lot to be desired.

Oct 26, 2024; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi Rebels running back Henry Parrish Jr. (21) runs the ball for a touchdown as Oklahoma Sooners linebacker Dasan McCullough (1) and defensive back Eli Bowen (23) attempt to make the tackle during the first half at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images / Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

The Ole Miss Rebels took care of Oklahoma on Saturday afternoon thanks to a monster second half from the defense and quarterback Jaxson Dart, but not everything was smooth sailing for this Rebel team.

The running game was almost non-existent as the Rebels failed to muster 100 yards on the ground, settling for just 69 yards on the day.

Running back Henry Parrish Jr. had 44 yards on 15 carries for an average of 2.9 yards per carry, and Ulysses Bentley IV was a nonfactor with five carries for five yards. Parrish did find the endzone on the Rebels' opening drive of the game, however, but that was the highlight of the ground attack in Week 9.

Dart racked up 24 yards on eight carries, mostly at the end of the game to burn the clock, and JJ Pegues found the end zone on a tough goal-line run. Pegues continues to shine on both sides of the football, proving that he is one of the more athletic big men in the SEC.

READ MORE: Notes and Observations From Ole Miss' Big SEC Win Over Oklahoma

One reason for this lack of success has to be injuries up front paired with Oklahoma's talented run defense. Before the game, it was revealed that Micah Pettus was not playing, and taking the field without two of your starting tackles is a blow for any team.

"We had some different lineups up front," head coach Lane Kiffin said postgame. "Micah actually right before the game said he couldn't play, so [Julius Buelow] moved outside to right tackle, and we struggled in the run game against a really good run defense that most people struggle against. I did think they pass protected well."

The important thing was this team got a win, but with a critical road trip on the horizon, the Rebels need to get healthy up front to keep their playoff hopes alive.