COLUMN: Is This Ole Miss Defense Elite?

The Ole Miss Rebels look like the real deal on the defensive side of the ball through three games.

Carleigh Holt-The Grove Report

The No. 20 Ole Miss Rebels (3-0) absolutely crushed the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (1-2) on the road in Atlanta, Ga., 42-0 thanks to another big day from the defense. 

The Ole Miss defense secured its first shutout since 2014, forcing nine punts and two turnovers on downs. The Rebels have now held their last eight opponents to 21 points or less, and it is time to start giving the Ole Miss defense the respect it deserves. 

Ole Miss may be on the weaker side of its schedule at the moment, but the Rebels have still only allowed 13 points in three games compared to 62 points through three contests last year.  

The only FBS team that has surrendered fewer points this season is the Georgia Bulldogs with 10. 

The Ole Miss pass rush is a big reason why the Rebels have been so dominant early on with 13 sacks recorded so far, good enough for second in the Southeastern Conference at the moment. There were concerns that the Rebel pass rush would decline after former Ole Miss defensive end Sam Williams departed for the NFL, but the unit has been firing on all cylinders through three games without the All-American.

While it is too early to call this Ole Miss defense elite, the unit has shown potential in the last three games, showcasing aggressiveness and a knack for getting into opposing backfields. It will be interesting to see how the unit stacks up against SEC competition. 

The Rebels will be facing the Tulsa Golden Hurricane next Saturday at 3 p.m. CT and look to continue dominating defensively. The Week 4 matchup will be televised on SEC Network. 

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You can follow Ben King on Twitter at @BKing_2023.

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