Ole Miss had Texas right where it wanted it for a moment, but the Rebels still walked away with a 37-31 loss that turned on a handful of costly swings - none bigger than the fourth-down sequence in the fourth quarter that ended with Pete Golding sending Lucas Carneiro onto the field for a long field-goal try.
With the Rebels trailing by seven and about six minutes left, Ole Miss had driven to the Texas 41 after a decent march that stalled on three straight incompletions. Golding was staring at a major decision: go for it, punt and likely concede a touchback, or try to trim the deficit to 31-27 with a kick from deep range. In the end, he chose the field goal attempt.
That choice was made with the injury to Kewan Lacy in mind, and Golding had reason to believe Carneiro could give Ole Miss a chance. Carneiro’s long in 2025 was 58 yards, and he finished 5-for-7 on attempts from 50-plus yards. In 2026, he had already made a 57-yarder and was 1-for-2 from beyond 50 before this try.
It never got there. Texas defensive tackle Alex January blocked the 58-yard attempt, and the Longhorns took over in favorable field position.
Texas then used four minutes to move down the field and hit a 33-yard field goal, stretching the lead to 10 points with just over two minutes left. Ole Miss answered with a field goal and recovered an onside kick, but the comeback window had already nearly shut.
Golding didn’t hide from the decision afterward, but he pointed back to an earlier sequence before halftime as the spot that bothered him most.
The Rebels had a prime chance to make the game less lopsided before the break, when they were sitting in first-and-goal territory with a chance to cut into a 24-3 hole. Instead, Ole Miss bogged down.
On third-and-goal from the four, the Rebels ran up the middle, setting up fourth-and-goal from the two-yard line. Golding decided against a field goal there, and with Texas getting the ball to open the second half, the call wasn’t viewed the same way as the one later in the game.
But Trinidad Chambliss couldn’t convert, and his interception sent Texas into halftime up 24-3. That pick was part of a rough night for a Rebels offense that has asked Chambliss to carry too much, and it became the first multiple-interception game of his Ole Miss career.
After the game, Golding said, "What I was really kicking myself about the most is the decision before the half, right? It was still going to be three possessions regardless. But still, when you crawl back in games, points matter."
He added, "Obviously, from that standpoint, you weren’t worried about, like, they still obviously, from a touchdown standpoint, you’re worried about, OK, if they go down and kick a field goal, then it’s a two-possession game... With a little bit of safety for us, if we did give up a field goal like we did to make it two possessions, it was still a one-score game.”
Ole Miss did get a lift from its defense in the second half. The Rebels forced a scoop-and-score to help close the gap, and the unit played much better after halftime.
Still, Texas found the answers it needed. Arch Manning pushed the Longhorns back in front after Ole Miss had rallied to tie it, and Texas kept creating separation when it had the ball in good spots.
Golding’s field-goal decision will draw the attention, but the Rebels also hurt themselves in other ways. Ole Miss finished with three turnovers and repeatedly failed to execute in key moments. That margin was too much against Texas.
Now the focus shifts to cleaning up those mistakes and making sure a game like this doesn’t come down to that kind of gamble again. Golding believes the Rebels have the talent to control their own destiny, but getting back on track will take a cleaner version of Ole Miss than the one that showed up against Texas.
In Other News...
Ole Miss Suddenly Has A Bigger Kewan Lacy Concern Than Auburn
Kewan Lacys availability has become a major issue for Ole Miss heading into the Auburn game on Oct. 31, and the concern is now bigger than just one matchup. The running back will not play against Auburn after suffering a dislocated left shoulder in the third quarter against Texas, adding another setback to a shoulder that has already been a problem for him.
Pete Golding confirmed there is no chance Lacy suits up for Auburn, though the door is not fully closed on a return after Week 9. Given the history with that same shoulder, including offseason surgery in 2025, Ole Miss is left waiting to see how much time Lacy actually needs before he can get back on the field. [Read more 🡒]
Ole Miss Let A Statement Win Slip Away And Paid For It
The latest AP Top 25 brought plenty of movement after a wild Week 8 slate, and Ole Miss was right in the middle of it after letting a statement opportunity slip away. With three top-10 teams taking losses and Texas making the biggest climb of the week after beating the Rebels, the poll made clear how quickly one result can reshape the conversation around a contender.
For Ole Miss, the drop is less about the number next to its name and more about what it surrendered in a game that could have changed its standing nationally. Miami stayed at No. 1, while Utah and UCLA kept their perfect records intact, but the Rebels are left looking at a missed chance to join that upper tier and wondering how much ground they can still make back. [Read more 🡒]
Kentucky Just Entered A Poll Debate SEC Fans Know Too Well
The Week 9 Coaches Poll landed with the usual mix of affirmation and argument, and for SEC fans, it instantly became another round of familiar water-cooler debate. Miami checked in at No. 1 after a decisive win over Pitt, while the league once again packed the rankings, with nine SEC teams in the poll and Georgia sitting at No. 3 and Alabama at No. 10.
Kentuckys place in the conversation is the kind that tends to stir the most noise this time of year, especially when the full rankings and the teams receiving votes are laid out for everyone to compare. It is the sort of poll release that gives plenty of fan bases something to celebrate and just as many something to argue about, which is about as SEC as it gets. [Read more 🡒]