Ole Miss Rolls in CFP Opener, But Injuries Cloud the Victory
In a dominant 41-10 win over Tulane to open their College Football Playoff run, Ole Miss looked every bit the part of a title contender. But while the scoreboard told one story, the injury report told another - and it starts with sophomore running back Kewan Lacy.
From the opening whistle, Lacy looked like he had something to prove. On his very first touch, he sliced through the Tulane defense for a 20-yard touchdown, showing off the kind of burst and shiftiness that’s made him a rising star in the Rebels' backfield.
Just minutes later, he broke off another big gain, this time for 30 yards. Two carries, 50 yards - and it felt like he was just getting warmed up.
But midway through the second quarter, momentum came to a halt. On the first play of Ole Miss' sixth drive, Lacy hauled in a short pass and picked up seven yards before going down hard on his left shoulder. He headed straight to the medical tent, and while he was eventually cleared to return, a fumble by quarterback Austin Simmons ended the Rebels' half before Lacy could get back on the field.
“He banged his shoulder up,” head coach Pete Golding said after the game. “Obviously he came back in the game and fought through that… it’s a bruised shoulder.”
Lacy did return for the third quarter, but it was clear he wasn’t the same. The explosiveness we saw early on was dulled, and over his final five carries, he managed just 20 yards. Before the fourth quarter began, he was back in the locker room - shoulder still bothering him, and his night officially done.
It was a disappointing turn for a player who looked poised to steal the show in his CFP debut. And he wasn’t the only Rebel to leave the game banged up.
Quarterback Trinidad Chambliss also had a scare in the first half. On the same drive Lacy was injured, Chambliss appeared to hit the back of his head on the turf.
He was evaluated for a concussion but cleared to return, and once he was back, he didn’t miss a beat. The junior finished with a near-flawless stat line: 23-of-29 passing for 282 yards and a touchdown, plus 36 rushing yards and two scores on the ground.
It was a gritty, efficient performance that underscored his value to this Ole Miss offense.
Defensively, the Rebels took a hit when senior safety Wydett Williams exited in the second quarter and was ruled out with a concussion. It was a tough blow for a veteran leader in what could be his final game in an Ole Miss uniform.
Freshman tight end Caleb Odom also left the game and did not return. Golding didn’t offer updates on either player postgame.
So yes, the Rebels rolled. They did what they needed to do - and then some - to punch their ticket to the next round.
But as they look ahead to the CFP semifinals, the focus shifts from celebration to recovery. Lacy’s shoulder, Williams’ concussion, Odom’s status - these are the storylines that could shape what comes next for a team with championship aspirations.
For now, though, Ole Miss fans can breathe a little easier knowing their team is still dancing. But they’ll be watching the injury report just as closely as the playoff bracket.