It was a rainy, sloppy Saturday afternoon in Nashville, and Ole Miss handled the conditions better than Vanderbilt.
The Rebels rolled to a 52-17 win, but it felt more like Vanderbilt giving the game away than Ole Miss dominating it outright.
The Commodores made the mistakes and the Rebels cashed them in, especially in the final 61 seconds of the first half.
After a punt, Vanderbilt freshman quarterback Jared Curtis fumbled near his own end zone, and Sunatrine Perkins scooped it up for an easy touchdown.
Then Vanderbilt fumbled the kickoff, setting up Trinidad Chambliss’ third touchdown pass of the half.
Just like that, FirstBank Stadium went quiet and Ole Miss took a 42-3 lead into halftime.
First half 𝐌𝐎𝐎𝐃 😁#HottyToddy pic.twitter.com/vHjg5fZY3I
— Ole Miss Football (@OleMissFB) October 10, 2026
It was the kind of half Ole Miss needed coming off the bye and two weeks removed from a loss to Florida that keeps looking worse.
The defense wasn’t perfect, but it tackled well enough and kept Vanderbilt to 31 rushing yards and 158 total yards. It forced two turnovers and stopped the Commodores’ only fourth down try.
Vanderbilt didn’t help itself with seven first-half penalties, including one on its opening drive that pushed the ball from the two-yard line back to the 17.
Offensively, Ole Miss looked sharp. Kewan Lacy returned and averaged 5.6 yards per carry with a short touchdown and a 19-yard run.
He barely played after halftime, and with a 39-point lead, there was no reason to risk injury.
Deuce Alexander was strong again with five catches for 74 yards and a touchdown, plus a 16-yard run. Most of his production came before the break.
Chambliss was steady. He had clean pockets, plenty of options, and even found defensive tackle Jamarious Brown for a touchdown on a play that showed surprising athleticism from a 300-pounder.
THE REBS ARE HOT 🔥
21 POINTS IN THE LAST 4 MIN & 18 SEC. #HottyToddy pic.twitter.com/87rzdwWqE5
— Ole Miss Football (@OleMissFB) October 10, 2026
All of that was good, if not great.
But as Pete Golding said at halftime, it was only one half. He wanted to see the same intensity and urgency after the break.
He didn’t get it, and that was the most disappointing part of the afternoon.
Vanderbilt opened the second half with its best drive of the game — 12 plays, 75 yards, seven-and-a-half minutes, and a touchdown.
The Chosen One 🫣@ChosenOneCull x #HottyToddy pic.twitter.com/7cgvvnfdbu
— Ole Miss Football (@OleMissFB) October 10, 2026
Ole Miss didn’t respond well on offense either. Chambliss threw an interception, and his final series ended with a punt.
The Rebels still added a field goal and a 35-yard touchdown run for Shekai Mills-Knight’s first career rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter, so the score stayed lopsided.
But if you’re looking for Ole Miss to play at a high, consistent level for four quarters, Saturday wasn’t it.
