Ole Miss Rebels Week 6 Notebook: Observations From Ugly Win Over Arkansas Razorbacks

The No. 16 Ole Miss Rebels took down the Arkansas Razorbacks in a defensive struggle in Oxford on Saturday night.

OXFORD, Miss. -- The recent matchups between the Ole Miss Rebels and Arkansas Razorbacks have been offensive shootouts, but Saturday's contest took a defensive turn.

The No. 16 Rebels were able to hold off the Razorbacks in a 27-20 victory thanks to a stout showing from their defense, but the offense looked lost throughout the game. Following the dominant performance versus the LSU Tigers in Week 5, many hoped that Ole Miss' offensive struggles had become a thing of the past, but they showed up once again versus Arkansas.

At the end of the day, a win is a win, especially in the SEC. Ole Miss now holds a 5-1 overall record and is 2-1 against conference opponents. The Rebels will head into their bye week with a road matchup versus the Auburn Tigers set for Saturday, Oct. 21.

Below are my notes and observations from Ole Miss' Week 6 victory over Arkansas at home.

Ole Miss Offense Records 349 Yards of Total Offense vs. Arkansas

After exploding for a season-best 706 yards of total offense versus LSU, Ole Miss could hardly drive down the field against Arkansas on Saturday night. It was an extremely slow night at the office for Ole Miss' offense, as Jaxson Dart threw for a season-low 153 passing yards, and Quinshon Judkins failed to eclipse 100 rushing yards for the fifth game this season. Ole Miss also struggled mightily on third down versus the Razorbacks. By halftime, the Rebels had not converted a single third down, and they finished the game 4 of 14 on third down attempts.

Defense Answers the Call

Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin challenged his defense to step up after letting LSU record 637 yards of total offense and the unit answered the call. On Saturday night, Arkansas recorded just 288 yards of offense. KJ Jefferson threw for 252 yards, but Ole Miss' run defense was elite versus Arkansas, as the Razorbacks only totaled 36 rushing yards between three runners.

Ole Miss' defensive front will be in Jefferson's dreams tonight after the Rebels notched 4.5 sacks and six quarterback hits versus Arkansas. The added pressure forced Jefferson to throw two interceptions, one of which led to Ole Miss' first touchdown of the game.

Ole Miss Rebels coach Lane Kiffin during home game versus Arkansas Razorbacks (2023)

Officiating Hurts Ole Miss

The offense had its share of troubles on Saturday, but it did not get any help at all from the officials. Like clockwork, the Rebels would pick up a big gain and then the play would be called back due to holding. Receiver Tre Harris had a big 40-yard reception in the first quarter that was negated due to a penalty. At times it felt like the game was being officiated by Stevie Wonder himself, but the Rebels were able to make it through.

Bentley Leads Rebs on the Ground

Quinshon Judkins started the game as the leading tailback for Ole Miss, but by the time the final whistle blew Ulysses Bentley was the go-to guy. Whether it is injuries, offensive line play, or his vision, Judkins has had trouble finding open space consistently this season and that trend continued versus Arkansas. Bentley, on the other hand, was able to provide relief for Judkins and jumpstart the Ole Miss offense in the fourth quarter. Bentley finished the game with 13 carries and one touchdown, leading the team with 94 rushing yards. Is it time to consider a change-up in the backfield?

Saunders Seals the Deal

After dropping an interception that would have closed the game for the Rebels versus LSU, Ole Miss safety John Saunders Jr. did not make the same mistake twice and sealed the deal against Arkansas. With less than two minutes remaining in the game, Arkansas was driving down the field in a last effort to either win or tie the game, but Saunders had other plans. 

The INT ‼️@john5aunders | #HottyToddy pic.twitter.com/7bNgckB4BO

— Ole Miss Football (@OleMissFB) October 8, 2023