Ole Miss heads to Austin this weekend with a few health questions still hanging over its SEC matchup against No. 19 Texas at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium.
The Rebels are riding a two-game winning streak and trying to stay in the mix for a College Football Playoff spot. Texas, meanwhile, is in a spot where Week 8 has turned into a must-win game for its playoff chances. The Longhorns may have to handle that pressure without edge rusher Colin Simmons, who is dealing with a high ankle sprain.
For Ole Miss, the injury picture remains a little cloudy after last week’s win over Missouri. Kewan Lacy, Brycen Sanders and Terez Davis all dealt with lower-body injuries in that game, with Lacy and Sanders missing part of the contest before coming back.
On Wednesday’s SEC availability report, Davis was listed as questionable. Senior cornerback Edwin Joseph will also sit out again, marking a second straight absence after tightrope surgery on his ankle.
Ole Miss coach Pete Golding addressed the importance of having depth ready earlier this week.
“I mean, this season - this league - you’re going to get guys banged up, and you better have good players behind them that are ready to go,” Pete Golding said about the health of his team earlier this week. “I think it was a good example for a lot of our guys.
Some of those guys that had to go in the game were dudes that do things right, and they hadn’t had a lot of snaps up to this point, but they worked their butt off and they practiced extremely hard. When they got in, they took advantage of their opportunity.
We don’t know (and) they don’t know. We got to come to work every day and prepare like you’re a starter because you don’t know when that opportunity is coming.
But I think it shows. I mean, if you don’t recruit from a depth standpoint, when a couple of those guys get banged up, you know how much that can change.
I was really proud of the effort by a lot of them when they got in, but also them being prepared and they did it the right way. I thought our staff did a really good job with a lot of those guys that were prepared to go in.
That’s not easy keeping those guys engaged throughout the week, not knowing if they’re going to play or not. That’s not easy.
But I think it speaks to their character. I think we got a lot of guys, right now, that want to do everything they can for whatever role that is to be able to win the football game.
I think there were a lot of examples of that (against Missouri).”
The full initial availability report from both teams was released Wednesday.
In Other News...
Ole Miss Hit With NCAA Penalties As Chris Beard Avoids Fallout
Ole Miss basketball is dealing with the consequences of a tampering case tied to former assistant coach Wes Flanigan, with the NCAA saying the program committed both Level I and Level II violations. The penalties are real and immediate for the Rebels: two years of probation, a $455,000 fine, recruiting restrictions and additional sanctions that will linger well beyond the paperwork.
For Chris Beard, the ruling brought a different outcome. The NCAA did not penalize the Ole Miss coach because it determined he was not involved and not aware of the violations, leaving the program to absorb the fallout without touching its current head coach. Flanigan, meanwhile, drew a one-year show-cause order and a two-game suspension, a reminder that the case is not just about institutional penalties but also about the individuals tied to the conduct. [Read more 🡒]
Ole Miss Faces A Huge Opening In Texas' Defense
No. 7 Ole Miss heads into its Oct. 24 SEC matchup with No. 18 Texas knowing the Longhorns defensive front could look different than usual. Texas star defensive end Colin Simmons is dealing with an injury, and his status is one of the biggest storylines hanging over a game that already carries plenty of weight for both teams. The latest injury reports on both sides add another layer to what should be one of the weeks most watched matchups.
For Ole Miss, the timing matters because this trip comes with the Rebels trying to measure themselves against a ranked opponent and a defense that usually sets the tone early. A possible absence up front would force Texas to adjust its pass rush and could shift the way the game is played on both sides of the ball, especially with key player matchups and recent performances already under the microscope. By kickoff, the conversation could be less about the ranking and more about how much Texas has left on the edge. [Read more 🡒]
Ole Miss Offense Has Carried This Start But One Test Awaits
Six games into the 2026 season, Ole Miss has built a 5-1 start and climbed to No. 7 in the AP Poll on the strength of an offense that has looked increasingly hard to slow down. Trinidad Chambliss has been central to that surge, piling up more than 1,800 total yards and 20 touchdowns, while Kewan Lacys return from injury has given the Rebels another needed piece in the backfield. The offensive line has done its part too, keeping Chambliss upright and helping the attack find a better rhythm on the ground in recent weeks.
What has made Ole Miss so dangerous is how the pieces have started to fit together at the same time, with the passing game and rushing attack both carrying real weight. The one lingering question is how this offense will hold up when it runs into a defense that can match its pace, pressure its quarterback, and force it out of the comfortable script it has enjoyed so far. [Read more 🡒]