Ole Miss got a late look at what could be coming next when Deuce Knight stepped in against Auburn and turned a limited snap into a touchdown run.
The Rebels had already seized control by then, ripping off 28 unanswered points to bury the Tigers after a tight first three quarters. By the time Knight entered, Ole Miss had stretched the lead to 38-15, and the backup quarterback made the most of his chance with a 17-yard score.
Knight’s path to Oxford has already been a winding one. The Lucedale, Mississippi, native originally committed to and signed with Auburn, where he was ranked the No.
6 QB in the 2025 recruiting class and was supposed to be the program’s future. As a true freshman in 2025, he put up 259 passing yards and two touchdowns, while also adding 178 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 13 carries.
He flashed major promise, especially against Knight, where he totaled over 400 total yards.
But Auburn’s quarterback picture changed when new head coach Alex Golesh brought Byrum Brown over from the South Florida Bulls, and Knight transferred. At the time, Ole Miss was still waiting to see whether Trinidad Chambliss would be granted a sixth year of eligibility, while also working in the transfer portal for a quarterback.
Now Knight sits behind Chambliss for one season, but the Rebels clearly view him as the next man up. And even in a small sample against Auburn, he gave a hint of why.
The game had been shaping up as a duel for much of the first 40 minutes. Auburn cut the margin to two points halfway through the third quarter, and Golesh went for two after a penalty backed the Tigers up, only to see the conversion fail and leave the score at 17-15.
From there, Ole Miss took over. Chambliss broke loose for a 26-yard touchdown to make it 24-15, and the Rebels’ defense started getting after Brown with sacks and tackles for loss. After Pete Golding’s harsh assessment of the defense following a Week 8 loss at the Texas Longhorns, the unit answered when it mattered.
Ole Miss added two more touchdowns to push the game out of reach, and then Knight got his moment. Auburn sent a five-man blitz, pressure came quickly, and the lefty slipped the pocket before racing to the end zone. He saw the field well, recognized that most of the defense had drifted to his right, and took the opening with his speed.
He didn’t throw a pass, but the run said plenty. Knight showed the dual-threat ability that made him such a prized recruit, along with the kind of field awareness that can turn a broken play into points.
Ole Miss still has plenty to sort out in 2026, especially if Chambliss is gone. But Knight’s touchdown offered a clear glimpse of the Rebels’ future, and the ceiling looks high.
In Other News...
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The SEC race tightened again in Week 9, and Ole Miss did its part to stay in the thick of it. The Rebels handled Auburn 45-15 behind a big day from Trinidad Chambliss, who found the end zone three times, while the rest of the leagues upper tier kept moving in ways that will matter for the next ranking release.
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Ole Miss Just Got A National Title Endorsement Fans Will Notice
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The Rebels place on that list adds another layer of intrigue around their quarterback situation, especially with Gunner Stockton, Trinidad Chambliss and Jayden Maiava also drawing mention in the broader discussion. Kanells framing does not settle anything, but it does underline how much quarterback play still drives the national conversation, and how Ole Miss has positioned itself squarely inside it. [Read more 🡒]