Series Rewind: Ole Miss Rebels Football vs. Kentucky Wildcats

The series between the Cats and Rebs has produced some epic games in the past. Will Saturday's bout live up to the hype?

Oct 1, 2022; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi Rebels linebacker Troy Brown (8), linebacker Austin Keys (11) and defensive back AJ Finley (21) force the fumble by Kentucky Wildcats quarterback Will Levis (7) during the fourth quarter at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images / Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

The Ole Miss Rebels and Kentucky Wildcats have an interesting past as the two teams have only met 43 times and were separated by the creation of the SEC's East and West divisions in 1991. The Rebels hold the series lead at 29-13-1 with the tie coming all the way back in 1952.

With the SEC moving on from a division format, the Rebels and Wildcats will play this year in Oxford and next year in Lexington.

While these teams don't have a natural rivalry, the two teams have found themselves in some interesting grudge matches in the last few meetings. So let's look at the previous three matchups between Kentucky and Ole Miss.

2017 -- Ole Miss 37, Kentucky 34

Ole Miss had self-imposed a one-year postseason ban in 2017, and the program had moved on from former head coach Hugh Freeze. Matt Luke was named the interim head coach, and the fan base was looking for any hope in this grim spot in Ole Miss history.

The Rebels traveled to Lexington looking to salvage the season after two home rivalry losses to LSU and Arkansas, and early on the Rebels were in for a dogfight.

After trading field goals and touchdowns, the Rebels found themselves down 20-17 at the break, but late in the fourth quarter, quarterback Jordan Ta'amu led the Rebels on a 14-play drive and found DK Metcalf in the corner of the endzone with five seconds left to beat the Wildcats at Kroger Field.

Ta'amu delivered the game of his career, going 31-of-40 through the air with 371 yards and 4 touchdown passes, one going to AJ Brown, one to Van Jefferson, and two to Metcalf.

2020 -- Ole Miss 42, Kentucky 41 (OT)

In the first year under the leadership of Lane Kiffin, the Rebels went back to Kroger Field in the COVID-shortened season for another interesting matchup.

The Rebels were coming off a loss to Florida in the season opener and seeking a bounce-back win before the Alabama Crimson Tide (the eventual national champions) came to town, and like in 2017, there were some dramatic moments.

The Wildcats tied the game late in the fourth quarter to force overtime, and they would proceed to score first in OT, putting all the pressure on Matt Corral and the Rebel offense. Kentucky's kicker missed the extra point, cracking the door open for the Rebs. A three-yard touchdown pass from Corral to Elijah Moore set up the Luke Logan extra point to steal another one in Lexington.

Like Ta'amu, Corral had a monster day, going 24-of-29 passing for 320 yards and three touchdown passes. He also led the team in rushing with 51 yards. Jonathan Mingo also had a highlight reel day at wide receiver with 128 yards two touchdown catches.

2022 -- Ole Miss 22, Kentucky 19

The Rebels got out to a fast start in this one, going up 19-6 late in the second quarter, but a Kentucky touchdown gave the Wildcats some momentum for down only 7 at the break.

A Will Levis touchdown pass knotted the game at 19, and midway through the third quarter, the Rebels' lead had evaporated.

Ole Miss answered late in the third with a field goal from Jonathan Cruz to make the score 22-19 entering the fourth quarter. Both offenses sputtered due to turnovers, a big one coming in the red zone when Will Levis coughed up the ball due to a hit from Austin Keys.

The Rebels punted the following drive, giving the Wildcats the ball with just over a minute left in the game.

A short pass from Levis to Barion Brown gave Brown some space to work with, and he took it 51 yards to the Rebels 7-yard line. After a false start, Kentucky was in desperation mode, but a new addition to the Rebels in the offseason via the portal came up huge. A Jared Ivey strip sack saved the Rebels and moved them to 5-0 in 2022.