Oklahoma vs. Ole Miss live updates, score, game analysis and highlights

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Simmons enters but misfires

Mid 2Q: Ole Miss 15, Oklahoma 10

Lane Kiffin got cute again and went to backup quarterback Austin Simmons in the red zone. But he misfired on a couple of masses to the end zone, forcing Ole Miss to settle for a field goal after the safety. Kiffin was visibly frustrated by the failed sequence. It's an interesting dynamic with Simmons, who began the season as the starter before losing his job when Trinidad Chambliss played lights out amid Simmons' ankle injury. Kiffin is clearly trying to keep Simmons engaged, but it backfired there.

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Defenses wake up (after another TD)

Early 2Q: Ole Miss 12, Oklahoma 10

John Mateer hit Isaiah Sategna for a 76-yard to touchdown to tie it up, but now the defenses have come up with consecutive stands. First, Rebels coach Lane Kiffin punted on fourth-and-5 from his own 43-yard line. That decision was quickly rewarded, as a great punt led to an Ole Miss safety. Given Kiffin's reputation as a riverboat gambler, you know he was tempted to go for it. But good special teams and defense go a long way, and Ole Miss got some of both.

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Conditions make a difference

Ole Miss forced a quick three-and-out from Oklahoma, and the Rebel got the football back up 10-3. However, the wet conditions made an impact when Trinidad Chambliss slipped while trying to field a low snap. He fell on the football for a loss, forcing the Rebels into a punt.

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Sooners on their heels

The Ole Miss offense is off to another strong start, as Kewan Lacy just finished off a quick touchdown drive with a 28-yard TD run. The Rebels scored TDs on their first five possessions at UGA last week before running aground in a rough fourth quarter. It was fair to wonder how that close but deflating loss might linger for a second straight top-15 SEC road game. So far, there is no hangover. The Sooners' vaunted defense is on its heels.

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Trading field goals

Both teams hit on explosive passing plays on their opening drives before stalling out and settling for field goals. John Mateer dropped a 39-yard pass in the bucket for Isaiah Sategna, who made a great grab to establish the Sooners in Ole Miss territory. But a holding penalty slowed things down from there, and Tate Sandell hit a 42-yarder to even the score.

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Ole Miss gets on the board

Early 1Q: Ole Miss 3, Oklahoma 0

A promising Ole Miss drive stalled out inside the Oklahoma 30-yard line, but Lucas Carneiro drilled a 45-yard field goal to get open the scoring. The big play on that series was a 25-yard Trinidad Chambliss strike to Cayden Lee down the middle. Lee took a hit from Robert Spears-Jennings but reeled in the pass anyway to establish the Rebels near midfield. Of note: the weather is pretty gross: 60 degrees but quite rainy.

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College Football Playoff implications

Ole Miss was knocked from the hall of unbeatens with Week 8's loss to No. 5 Georgia. Now the Rebels look to rebound with a very tough test. Ole Miss has lost its last nine road games against AP-ranked power conference opponents. The Rebels also haven't lost back-to-back games since 2022. They're 5-0 after a loss over the last three seasons. While a loss here wouldn't tank their season, it would eliminate any margin for error down the stretch.

Oklahoma, on the other hand, is 9-1 in its last 10 home games against AP-ranked opponents. The Sooners need all the wins they can get at this point, especially if they're playing inside the friendly confines of Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Saturday starts a gauntlet of five-straight ranked opponents for the Sooners. Two of those games are on the road against a pair of top-20 opponents in No. 17 Tennessee and No. 4 Alabama. With a loss against then-unranked Texas already on its ledger, the Sooners have to be near-perfect over the last month and change. That means not fumbling home-field advantage.

College Football Playoff race: Oklahoma vs. Ole Miss, Texas A&M vs. LSU take center stage in Week 9

Will Backus

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Ole Miss vs. Oklahoma preview

Oklahoma is hosting Ole Miss for the first time ever on Saturday, as the No. 13 Sooners welcome the No. 8 Rebels to Memorial Stadium for a critical battle between one-loss SEC teams. After taking a 43-35 loss at Georgia last week, this marks the end of a brutally tough two-game road swing for Ole Miss.

For Oklahoma, it's only the beginning of a five-game stretch against top-20 SEC foes to close the season. If the Sooners are going to reach the College Football Playoff, they'll have to survive the forthcoming gauntlet, and that begins with limiting the Ole Miss offense.

Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin's unit scored touchdowns on its first five possessions of last week's loss to the Bulldogs before quarterback Trinidad Chambliss finally went cold in the fourth quarter. Oklahoma leads the SEC in total defense and has produced more sacks (28) than any other Power Four team.

It makes for a compelling matchup between Kiffin and counterpart Brent Venables, OU's defensive-minded coach. Four of the Sooners' seven opponents have scored seven points or fewer. The Rebels are averaging 37.4. What will give?

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Blaylock's breakthrough

Oklahoma finally seemed to get some traction on the ground during last week's win at South Carolina. Running back Tory Blaylock earned SEC Freshman of the Week honors for totaling 101 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries. It was a welcome sight for the Sooners, who hadn't previously averaged four yards per carry in a game against against a Power Four opponent. The Ole Miss run defense has been vulnerable this season with all but one opponent averaging 4.5 yards or more per attempt. The door is open for Blaylock to stack consecutive strong performances.

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Permanent opponents

Ole Miss and Oklahoma are set to play annually from 2026-29. Among the criteria in determining the three annual opponents for each SEC team were traditional rivalries, competitive fairness and geography. Ole Miss and Oklahoma are not particularly close to each other, and they had not played in the 21st century until last season. Nevertheless, the Rebels and Sooners will become quite familiar with each other in the years ahead. Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin noted after the announcement that the pairing "doesn't make any sense at all."

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Ole Miss vs. Oklahoma prediction

With quarterback John Mateer closer to 100% healthy now than he was for a loss to Texas two weeks ago, Oklahoma is becoming a complete team again. The Sooners have the best defense Ole Miss has faced this season, and a healthy Mateer makes them a well-rounded group. The Washington State transfer has enough playmaking ability and the weapons around him to expose the weaknesses in the Rebels' defense after Georgia found plenty of them last week. Defensively, the Sooners are elite and the rare unit capable of slowing Ole Miss down. Look for Oklahoma to pull away for a big win in front of its home crowd. Pick: Oklahoma -5.5

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Ole Miss defense must produce

Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin likened quarterback Trinidad Chambliss' performance in last week's loss at Georgia to a pitcher throwing "almost no-hit ball" for six or seven innings. The Rebels hit a wall in the fourth quarter, however. But if you take a step back, the Rebels' loss to Georgia was less about the offense struggling late and more about the fact that the defense didn't produce a single stop. Georgia scored on every possession until it was time to take a knee and run out the clock. If the Rebels are going to beat Oklahoma, their defense will need to be significantly better.

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