Ole Miss Defensive Line Dominates in 26-14 Victory Over Oklahoma

The Ole Miss defensive line had a big performance against Oklahoma on Saturday.

Oct 26, 2024; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi Rebels linebacker Suntarine Perkins (4) reacts after a tackle during the second half against the Oklahoma Sooners at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images / Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

The Ole Miss defensive line has been one of the best in the nation so far this year.

They added on to that legacy with a dominant performance on Saturday, as the Rebels took down Oklahoma 26-14 for win No. 6 on the year.

The defensive line sacked Oklahoma quarterback Jackson Arnold nine times, the most in a game since 2020. Suntarine Perkins led the way with three sacks, JJ Pegues and Princely Umanmlielin recorded two apiece, and Jared Ivey and Akeelo Stone recording one each.

In a sloppy first half for the Rebels, the defense surrendered 235 yards of total offense. They allowed just 94 in the second, a massive turnaround that helped the Rebels get back into the game.

"We're going into the game with a 'finish them off mentality,'" Umanmielen said. "But whenever we went into half, and the game wasn't going how we wanted it to go, we knew as a defense that we'd have to step up to the plate. Whenever a time like that comes, we just play accordingly."

And play accordingly they did. The massive second half performance helped bolster confidence in not only the defense, but the team as a whole. The Rebel offense struck twice to secure a 12-point lead they would not relinquish. The defense also pitched a second half shutout.

Being able to bounce back after the bye week was important for the defensive line, but bouncing back out of halftime was imperative for a victory. Following up on this big performance will be a key factor to taking down Arkansas on the road next Saturday.

Ole Miss travels to Fayetteville to take on Arkansas next week. A kickoff time and TV network have not been announced as of yet, but Ole Miss On SI will have the news when it breaks.