Ole Miss Week Five Opponent Preview: Predictions for Rebels vs. Wildcats

Week five of the college football season is more than two months away, but here's how The Grove Report staff sees Ole Miss vs. Kentucky unfolding.

After enjoying what should be an easy start to the 2022 college football season, the Ole Miss Rebels welcome their first SEC opponent of the season to Oxford, Miss., in week five, the Kentucky Wildcats.

In 2021, the Wildcats won 10 games for the first time since 2018 under coach Mark Stoops. Stoops is the longest-tenured coach in the SEC behind Alabama Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban. Under Stoops, Kentucky is preparing to put the rest of the SEC on notice in 2022 and prove that 2021 was not a fluke. It helps that the Wildcats have a quarterback already getting first-round hype for the 2023 NFL Draft, Will Levis. Kentucky started the 2021 season hot, rolling to a 6-0 start, and later made it to the Citrus Bowl versus the Iowa Hawkeyes.

On Monday, we did an overview of the Kentucky football program, now we will give predictions for the week five matchup.

Cole Thompson

Many believe that Kentucky is not just a sleeper in the SEC East. The Wildcats are a sleeper to win the SEC as a whole and fight for a College Football Playoff berth. Who are these "said people" one speaks of? Well, yours truly is one.

Ole Miss still must answer several questions defensively. And while the Wildcats are replacing offensive linemen Darrian Kinnard and Luke Fortner, Will Levis is one of the top decision-makers in the sport. Last year, the Rebels snuck out a 52-51 win over Arkansas. This year, they're on the opposite side of a similar score against Kentucky.

Kentucky 42, Ole Miss 41 

Brian Smith

After a likely home victory versus Tulsa, Ole Miss will be in a battle versus a Kentucky team that is coming off a 10-3 record in 2021 and returns talented signal-caller, Will Levis. On the other side of the football, Kentucky is talented once again.

Kentucky’s defensive front lost all of its defensive linemen from 2021, but nose guard Justin Rogers is expected to anchor the interior of the new defensive front that is still high on overall talent despite the lack of experience. Rogers will be flanked by a linebacker corps that does possess all of its 2021 starters, so Ole Miss will likely be challenged to run the football against them.

The Rebels will need big passing plays to score points in this game, and that’s where it gets interesting as the Wildcats are a solid pass defense with two returning starters in the secondary.

Look for head coach Lane Kiffin to take plenty of shots and use play-action passing even more than usual in an attempt to soften up the Kentucky defense through the air before running the football more during the third and fourth quarters.

This will be a back-and-forth contest that comes down to the final three minutes. Rebels kick a late field goal to win on the last play.

Ole Miss 23, Kentucky 20

Ben King

The Rebels will face their first SEC opponent in week five against the Kentucky Wildcats. A team that should provide more of a challenge for Ole Miss. Ole Miss running back Zach Evans will still rush for over 120 yards and Ole Miss receiver Jonathan Mingo will lead the Rebels in receiving with at least 100 yards. I am predicting a close game between Ole Miss and Kentucky, but the Rebels will come out victorious in a nail-biter.

Ole Miss 28, Kentucky 24

Matt Galatzan

Kentucky isn't what they use to be, but neither are the Rebels. I expect the Rebels to be hitting on all cylinders at this point in the season, and to come out with their offense humming. 

It will still be tough to slow down the Wildcats' offense, but I think the Rebels' offense will have the edge. 

Ole Miss 38, Kentucky 35

John Macon Gillespie

After what should be an easy start to the schedule, Ole Miss gets its first test in Kentucky. My prediction here may change by the time this game rolls around, but for now, I like the Rebels in a somewhat close one.

Ole Miss 35, Kentucky 21

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