How Did QB Jaxson Dart Respond to Ole Miss' Loss Last Week? WR Cayden Lee Reveals

Ole Miss Rebels quarterback Jaxson Dart seems to have taken Saturday's loss to heart in his preparation for this week against South Carolina.

Sep 28, 2024; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi Rebels quarterback Jaxson Dart (2) passes the ball during the second half against the Kentucky Wildcats at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images / Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Quarterback Jaxson Dart came back to Ole Miss for a reason, and that's to win football games. Last Saturday, that mission wasn't accomplished.

The Rebels dropped a 20-17 upset loss at home to the Kentucky Wildcats last week, and they fell to No. 12 in this week's AP Poll as a result. Players were visibly upset following Saturday's game, but it appears that this experience is providing some extra motivation in preparing to face the South Carolina Gamecocks this week.

"Saturday is definitely one we wish we could have back, but I feel like it really opened our eyes," wide receiver Cayden Lee said on Tuesday. "We're not the big dogs anymore. We've got to get back to the ground work. Go 1-0 every day like has been our mindset since the summer, but we've just got to reset and look at things differently."

Lee was also asked specifically about Dart's reaction to the loss, and the young wideout has seen his quarterback take it to heart over the last few days, evidenced by calling a meeting prior to Monday.

"We had an offensive meeting Sunday morning following that," Lee said. "Kind of talked things over, how we felt like things went negatively, what we could have done better. More how we're going to do things going forward and what we can do differently because we don't want that result to ever happen again.

"I feel like [Dart is] one of the guys that definitely took it the hardest. He's the one that made sure we had that meeting Sunday. He kind of led the meeting and just talked things over, and he's definitely taken it hard. This week, I feel like he's got something in store. We're going to do really good, I feel like."

Dart himself said in postgame media availability on Tuesday that this is a crucial juncture for Ole Miss, and how it handles the loss will determine the outcome of the season.

"You can look at it two ways: you can just quit, or you can take it on the chin," Dart said. "We're on the ground right now. You can either stay down, or get up."

The Rebels will look to gain their first SEC win of the season on Saturday in Columbia against South Carolina. Kickoff is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. CT, and the game will be televised on ESPN.