Notes and Observations From Ole Miss Football's Blowout of Middle Tennessee

What are some of the key points from Ole Miss' rout of Middle Tennessee on Saturday?

Sep 7, 2024; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi Rebels quarterback Jaxson Dart (2) jump passes the ball during the second half against the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images / Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

OXFORD -- The No. 6 Ole Miss Rebels came away with another dominating win on Saturday afternoon, drilling the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders 52-3 at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.

The Rebels had another strong day on offense, and while the pass defense was "sloppy" according to head coach Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss was able to run away with the contest. There were a few key themes to draw from the Rebels' win, and we take a look at some of those below.

1. A record-setting day for Jaxson Dart.

It took a while for quarterback Jaxson Dart to find the end zone through the air, but he was extremely efficient in his passes on Saturday afternoon. He set a new school and SEC record for consecutive completions in a single game with 24, throwing his first incompletion in the fourth quarter.

Lane Kiffin wanted to emphasize the run game this week, and that mission was accomplished. Still, this offense will continue to run thanks to Dart, and that was illustrated again this week.

2. Henry Parrish Jr. broke onto the scene (again) for the Rebels.

Parrish's return tour at Ole Miss is off to a solid start. Through two games, he appears to be this team's starting running back, and he showed why on Saturday.

In the midst of running for 165 yards, Parrish found the end zone on the ground four times, averaging 11.8 yards per carry. Following the game, Parrish stated that these kinds of games are what he expected when he returned to Ole Miss after a stint at Miami.

"Of course, 100 percent. This is why I came back," Parrish said. "We have a loving fanbase. Just all-around, I love this place. I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world."

Noticeably absent from most of the game was running back Ulysses Bentley IV who finished the day with five carries for 13 yards. It is worth keeping an eye on the running back rotation moving forward and seeing whether or not Bentley earns more snaps in the weeks ahead.

3. The defense was "good," but the secondary has some work to do.

Lane Kiffin called the pass defense on Saturday "sloppy," and while Middle Tennessee did not find the end zone in the game, Ole Miss will need to tighten up its secondary before SEC play hits. MTSU finished the game with 251 passing yards, and safety Trey Washington took note of the need for growth after the game.

"I think the d-line played really well," Washington said. "We stopped the run and forced them to try to beat us through the air. I think we could execute way better in our pass defenses. We have an opportunity to get better this week, and that's what we're going to do."

The Rebels will look to try and tighten their play in the secondary before next week's game at Wake Forest.