Ole Miss Rebels Being Tested in Their First SEC Half of the Season

The Ole Miss Rebels go into halftime trailing for the first time all season in their first conference game.

Sep 28, 2024; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi Rebels wide receiver Tre Harris (9) stiff arms Kentucky Wildcats defensive back Zion Childress (11) after a catch during the first half at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images / Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

The Ole Miss Rebels are having a little trouble in the first half of conference play this season.

The Rebels got off to a weird start as Micah Davis initially lost the opening kickoff which would have put Kentucky deep in Ole Miss territory before it was reviewed and was ruled down by contact.

Davis has also not re-entered the game after taking that hit, being replaced by Ulysses Bentley on kick return and Jordan Watkins on punt return.

Despite the odd start, Jaxson Dart started quick, finding Tre Harris deep down field for 35-yard catch-and-run quickly followed by a one-yard rushing touchdown from Henry Parrish to put Ole Miss up 7-0 in under three minutes of game time.

Kentucky followed this with a very well put together drive, but fell short of six as the Rebels defense stood tall inside the 10, forcing a field goal making it 7-3 with 5:13 left in the first quarter.

Kentucky capitalized on the Rebels' penalty issues late in the half following a Trey Amos hold on third and goal, which was followed by a touchdown pass to wideout Dane Key, giving the Wildcats a late first half 10-7 lead.

The Rebels tried to put a drive together, but it was ended by Octavious Oxedine when he recorded his second sack of the half.

Despite the low-scoring first half, the Rebels secondary has looked shaky, and the entire team has once again continued to struggle with penalties, including a pass interference by John Canady on a third down that would've forced a Wildcat punt from deep inside their own territory and another by Trey Amos with just under two minutes left that would have led to a 52-yard field goal attempt.

The Rebels go into the half trailing 10-7 with no red zone appearances after their two-minute touchdown drive to open the game.