Ole Miss is heading into Saturday with a long injury list, but the Rebels are not interested in using that as a crutch.
Wednesday’s injury report included 15 players, with 10 already ruled out, three questionable and two probable. That kind of volume has drawn national attention, and the list includes some major names: running back Kewan Lacy, safety Edwin Joseph, offensive tackle Terez Davis and cornerback Jalyn Crawford. Lacy and Joseph are out, while Davis and Crawford are listed as questionable.
Pete Golding said at a Monday press conference that he expected Davis to play.
Even with so many pieces missing, the Rebels are leaning into their next-man-up approach rather than searching for sympathy. Offensive tackle Delano Townsend made that clear Wednesday, especially when the conversation turned to Lacy’s absence and what it means for the backfield.
"We have a back in [Makhi Frazier] and other guys who are willing to step up in that role," Townsend said. Kewan is our guy, but when he’s not able to go, [Frazier] steps up in that role. I don’t think it’s really a drop-off."
That is a strong endorsement, especially considering how highly Lacy was viewed before the injuries started piling up. But Ole Miss clearly believes Frazier and the rest of the room are ready for the moment.
The same mindset has carried over to the offensive line, where injuries have forced constant adjustments. Townsend said the group has been able to keep functioning at a high level because the backups know the system and the line keeps communicating.
"Our ability to have guys back us up with certain guys going down, [and other] guys sliding into those roles," Townsend responded. "[Allows] us [to] not miss a beat as an offensive line, just being on the same page together."
That adaptability has shown up on the field. Last week, even without starting left tackle Terez Davis, Ole Miss did not allow a sack. Townsend pointed to the interior of the line as a big reason why the unit has stayed steady, especially with him, Patrick Kutas and Brycen Sanders all having started for the Rebels last season.
"[The] middle 3, we all know how each other operates. We all got each other’s back."
That continuity gives Ole Miss more flexibility at the tackle spots, and the Rebels have already had to use it. When Brycen Sanders went down against Missouri, Patrick Kutas moved in at center.
Against Auburn, the assignment only gets more demanding. Ole Miss has to keep the Tigers’ pass rush away from Trinidad Chambliss, especially with Auburn sitting third in the SEC in interceptions with eight. Chambliss has also been vulnerable to turnovers, throwing an interception in five of the seven games this season.
The Rebels can help him most by controlling the interior of the game. Auburn is 14th in the SEC against the run, giving up 130 yards per game, and Ole Miss will look for that middle line to do what it has done all season: protect the quarterback, open up the ground game and keep the offense on schedule.
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For Ole Miss, the most obvious opening is the same one Auburn has struggled to close all season: the run game. If the Rebels can make the Tigers one-dimensional, it puts even more pressure on Melendez and the rest of Auburns defensive core to hold up in a difficult setting. Auburn is still trying to find answers after the LSU game, and this matchup gives Ole Miss a clear chance to make that problem matter again. [Read more 🡒]
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Auburns recent surge has made this matchup harder to ignore, especially after the Tigers knocked off Georgia and reminded the league they can still swing the conversation around the top of the SEC. If Auburn can keep winning the rest of the way, the path gets very interesting in a hurry, which is exactly why Ole Miss cannot afford to treat this as anything less than a dangerous trap game. [Read more 🡒]
Ole Miss Brings Real Momentum Into An Auburn Test That Matters
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Trinidad Chambliss adds another layer to the matchup, because the quarterback is closing in on a notable Ole Miss milestone with a passing touchdown in 20 straight games, a mark that already puts him second in program history. Against an Auburn team that can still make things uncomfortable, this is the kind of test that can either reinforce what Ole Miss has built at home or slow the momentum that has made the Rebels one of the more interesting teams in the SEC. [Read more 🡒]