Ole Miss Defensive Line Shines Again in Dominant Rebels Win vs. South Carolina

The Ole Miss defensive line had yet another big performance on Saturday, helping the Rebels to a much-needed SEC victory.

Oct 5, 2024; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks wide receiver Mazeo Bennett Jr. (3) runs after a catch against the Mississippi Rebels in the second half at Williams-Brice Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-Imagn Images / Jeff Blake-Imagn Images

Ole Miss dominated South Carolina 27-3 in Columbia on Saturday, marking the Rebels' first SEC victory of the 2024 season.

The defensive line played a key role in the Rebels' success, proving once again why they're among the nation's elite.

The Rebels recorded six sacks on the day, with Walter Nolen and Jared Ivey tied for most with two apiece. Suntarine Perkins and TJ Dottery also put up double-digit tackles and got in on the sack party in the win. Ole Miss allowed just 151 rushing yards, a total split among six Gamecocks, and the defense as a whole recorded 10 tackles for loss on the day.

"Just out there playing fast," Perkins said postgame. "Worked through all week and prepare for Saturday and make the game a little slower. ... Every day at practice, we're working on moving, watch film and see what quarterback we're facing. We work on moves we can use against the tackles."

Throughout this past week, the defensive line had been very vocal about returning to form against the Gamecocks. Walter Nolen in particular spoke on this, but not only did the team say they we're going to dominate, they did exactly that on the field.

The Gamecocks almost completely rebuilt their offensive line over the offseason, and many considered it a strength for the team. But Pete Golding's unit disproved that statement time and time again this week, harassing Gamecock quarterback LaNorris Sellers constantly throughout the game.

Stopping the run and getting to the quarterback proved a deciding factor in the Rebels victory as the Ole Miss offensive line allowed only one sack and paved the way for three rushing touchdowns on the day. An interesting thing to note is that this is the first time Ole Miss has held an SEC opponent without a touchdown since it played Vanderbilt in 2019.

This dominant performance from the defensive line is an inspiring one, especially with LSU on the horizon. This victory goes a long way in restoring faith in the Rebels after the upset loss to Kentucky last week.

The Rebels hit the road to take on LSU next Saturday in the Magnolia Bowl, with kickoff set for 6:30 p.m. CT. The game will be televised on ABC.