Deuce Alexander crossed the goal line so fast Sunday night that he nearly left the football behind.
His touchdown celebration on his second score turned into a borderline fumble, but when you’re hitting 22.3 miles per hour, maybe the ball is just trying to keep up.
“I got in trouble a little bit because they said I left the ball back up too close. I got too close, so I might have to come up with something new.”
If he keeps having games like the one he had Sunday against Louisville, he’ll have time to perfect whatever celebration he wants.
Alexander looked every bit like the next great Ole Miss receiver to wear the No. 1 jersey. That number has history in Oxford, and he played like someone who understands exactly what comes with it.
Five catches. A career-best 159 yards. Two touchdowns from 62 yards out. And the fastest recorded sprint speed in college football in Week 1.
Ole Miss knew he was fast. Everyone who watched him last season knew he was fast. But 22.3 miles per hour is a different category. Reel Analytics clocked him at that speed on Sunday, which would have tied for No. 2 on their 2025 college football list and ranked No. 3 among NFL ball-carrier speeds last season.
Ole Miss WR Deuce Alexander hit 22.3 MPH in Week 1 — the fastest speed in college football measured by Reel Analytics this week. ⚡️
For context: 22.3 MPH would’ve tied No. 2 on our 2025 CFB list and ranked No. 3 among 2025 NFL Next Gen Stats ball-carrier speeds. #ReelSpeed pic.twitter.com/QVv0zpomyT
— Reel Analytics (@RAanalytics) September 7, 2026
That is not just fast. That is game-changing fast.
His first touchdown was a catch-and-run up the right sideline, a 62-yard burst that looked effortless. His second was another 62-yarder, this time on a deep ball from Trinidad Chambliss. Same result. Alexander running away from everyone.
DEUCE ALEXANDER IS THE FASTEST WIDE RECEIVER IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL pic.twitter.com/XpZCQ2TRpy
— Everything Ole Miss (@EverythingRebs) September 7, 2026
Chambliss didn’t overthink it.
“Deuce is just a playmaker, and we knew that going into the year,” Chambliss said after the game. “He’s one of the best receivers in the nation, and we have to use him. There were some times where I saw the matchup and it was man coverage, and I just worked him. I just have trust in him.”
That trust comes from months of work. Alexander talked about the hours spent in the summer, spring and fall, long before anyone was watching.
“It was very encouraging because we put in a lot of work behind the scenes during the summer, spring and fall,” he said in his post-game press conference. “When nobody was watching, we were just working, and it showed up tonight.”
It showed up in more ways than just the box score. It showed up in how Louisville defended him, how Ole Miss used him, and how much attention he demanded. Pete Golding didn’t hesitate when asked about Alexander’s impact.
“I think he’s an elite player,” Golding said. “The last guy I was on a team with who he reminds me of was Jamo Williams at Alabama. I think he has elite top-end speed and really good acceleration, and when he sticks his foot in the ground, he can go score.”
Golding went even further, pointing out how Alexander changes the geometry of a defense.
“I think more guys are going to know where No. 1 is, and I think that’s going to cause some people problems with box counts,” Golding said. “That’s going to open up some other things in the run game and all those things. I think he’ll continue to build on that. He’s a really good player.”
That’s the part that matters most for Ole Miss. Alexander isn’t just a highlight reel. He’s a player who forces defenses to adjust. He’s a player who makes life easier for everyone else. And he’s a player who looks ready to carry the No. 1 tradition forward.
He earned SEC co-offensive player of the week for his performance, but the award feels more like a preview than a peak. If Sunday was any indication, Alexander is stepping into the kind of season where awards, long touchdowns and defensive headaches become routine.
He may need a new celebration, but that’s a good problem to have. It means he’s scoring. It means he’s producing. It means he’s living up to the number on his chest.
And right now, No. 1 looks exactly like the fastest man in college football.
