Ole Miss Football Week Five Opponent Preview: Remembering 2020 Matchup vs. Kentucky

Our college football preview series continues this week with the Rebels' week five matchup.

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 take a look at the last matchup between the Rebels and Wildcats in 2020. Lane Kiffin's first victory as the coach of Ole Miss football. 

Previous Meeting -- Oct. 3, 2020

FINAL: Ole Miss 42, Kentucky 41

Passing Leader

Matt Corral: 24-29, 320 yards, four touchdowns

Rushing Leader

Matt Corral: 13 carries, 51 yards, 3.9 yards per carry

Receiving Leader

Elijah Moore: 10 receptions, 92 yards, one touchdown

Summary 

The Rebels beat the Wildcats in Week 2 of the 2020 college football season in Lexington, Ky., 42-41 in overtime. The Rebels secured their first win of the Lane Kiffin era after overcoming a 14-point deficit in the second half to take down the Wildcats on the road. The Rebels were led by former Ole Miss quarterback Matt Corral, and his favorite target was former Rebel receiver, Elijah Moore, but Ole Miss wideout Jonathan Mingo led the team in receiving yards with 128. On the ground, former Ole Miss running backs Jerrion Ealy and Snoop Conner combined for 18 carries, 69 rushing yards, and two touchdowns. 

Kentucky running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. led a Wildcat rushing attack that totaled 408 yards. Rodriguez Jr. recorded 17 carries, 133 rushing yards, two touchdowns, and averaged 7.8 yards per carry. Former Kentucky quarterback Terry Wilson was right behind Rodriguez totaling 22 carries, 129 rushing yards, and three touchdowns.

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