Amber Aniston+ • October 26, 2025

No. 8 Ole Miss Outlasts No. 13 Oklahoma in Hard-Fought 34–26 Battle

Rebels Survive Late Sooner Rally Behind Chambliss and Lacy 


NORMAN, Okla. — In a matchup defined by momentum swings and physical play, the No. 8 Ole Miss Rebels held off a furious second-half rally from No. 13 Oklahoma to secure a 34–26 road victory on Saturday night at Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. 


Quarterback Trinidad Chambliss led the Rebels with 315 passing yards, 53 rushing yards, and one touchdown, while running back Kewan Lacy added 78 yards and two scores on the ground. Freshman wide receiver Winston Watkins recorded a breakout game with 111 receiving yards, helping Ole Miss earn its seventh win of the season and remain firmly in the SEC title race


For Oklahoma, the loss halted a strong midseason surge. Xavier Robinson rushed for 109 yards and two touchdowns, and Isaiah Sategna III set a new career high with 131 receiving yards. Despite outscoring the Rebels 16–3 during one third-quarter stretch, the Sooners couldn’t match Ole Miss’s closing execution. 


 


Early Momentum Shifts 


Both teams started fast, trading early field goals. Ole Miss struck first with a 45-yard kick from Lucas Carneiro, and Oklahoma’s Tate Sandell matched it with a 42-yarder on the following drive. 


The Rebels regained the lead later in the quarter as Chambliss found Harrison Wallace III for a 25-yard strike that set up Lacy’s two-yard touchdown run, making it 10–3


Oklahoma answered early in the second quarter when John Mateer hit Sategna for a 76-yard touchdown, tying the game 10–10 and sparking the home crowd. 


Moments later, Ole Miss’s defense changed the tone. Princewill Umanmielen and Will Echoles combined for a sack and a safety, giving the Rebels a 12–10 advantage. The Rebels then added a Carneiro field goal to make it 15–10, before Lacy struck again late in the half — a two-yard touchdown following a 31-yard pass from Chambliss to Cayden Lee — extending the margin to 22–10 at halftime. 


 


Sooners Storm Back 


Oklahoma came alive in the third quarter. A mishandled fourth-down snap by Ole Miss gave the Sooners a short field, leading to a Sandell field goal to cut the lead to 22–13


Moments later, Robinson broke loose for a 65-yard touchdown run, and on the next possession, powered in from nine yards out to give Oklahoma its first lead of the game, 26–25, late in the third. 


The Sooners’ defense dominated the quarter, with Kip Lewis, Robert Spears-Jennings, and Kendal Daniels delivering several tackles for loss while containing Ole Miss’s rushing attack. 


But just as momentum swung toward the home team, the Rebels regrouped with composure. 


 


Rebels Regain Control 


Early in the fourth quarter, Chambliss orchestrated a poised, methodical drive capped by an eight-yard touchdown pass to Trace Bruckler, reclaiming the lead at 31–26


The Rebels’ defense responded immediately. Kam Franklin and Suntarine Perkins anchored key stops, while the secondary disrupted Mateer’s timing and limited big plays downfield. 


Ole Miss then capitalized on special teams, as Bruckler forced a fumble on a punt return by Sategna, recovered by lineman Ethan Fields near midfield. Two plays later, Watkins hauled in a 43-yard reception to set up Carneiro’s 37-yard field goal, extending the lead to 34–26 with just over four minutes remaining. 


 


Defensive Finish Seals the Win 


Oklahoma mounted one final push behind completions to Deion Burks and Jaren Kanak, but Ole Miss’s defense refused to yield. On fourth down, Umanmielen pressured Mateer into an incompletion, forcing a turnover on downs. 


After one more defensive stop, the Sooners regained possession with just over a minute left, but their final drive fell short. Wydett Williams Jr. batted down Mateer’s last-second pass, clinching the Rebels’ seventh win of the season. 


 


Statistical Breakdown 


Ole Miss tallied 436 total yards, including 315 passing from Chambliss, who surpassed the 300-yard mark for the fourth time in six starts. Lacy’s 12th rushing touchdown of the season tied him for eighth on the program’s all-time single-season list. 


Watkins’s 111-yard outing marked the first 100-yard receiving game by a Rebel freshman since 2018, showcasing his explosive speed and precise route running. 


Defensively, Umanmielen led with six tackles, 2.0 for loss, and 1.5 sacks, while TJ Dottery and Kapena Gushiken added six tackles each. The Rebels’ defense produced five second-half stops on third down and limited Oklahoma to 16 rushing yards in the first half


Ole Miss controlled time of possession for over 35 minutes, including more than eight minutes in the fourth quarter — a critical factor in sealing the victory. 


For Oklahoma, Mateer finished 17-of-31 for 223 yards and one touchdown, while Robinson averaged over 12 yards per carry. Despite their second-half surge, the Sooners were unable to sustain drives late against the Rebels’ disciplined defense. 


 


What the Win Means 


The victory reinforced Ole Miss’s resilience following a narrow loss to Georgia the week prior. At 7–1 overall and 4–1 in SEC play, the Rebels remain squarely in contention for the SEC West title


Head coach Lane Kiffin’s squad has now won five of its last six one-score games, reflecting a growing confidence and ability to finish under pressure. 


For Oklahoma, the loss dropped the Sooners to 6–2 (2–2 SEC) and snapped their three-game home winning streak. Despite the defeat, their third-quarter surge showcased their competitiveness against top-tier programs. The Sooners’ defense recorded 14 tackles for loss, the longest active streak of double-digit TFL performances in program history. 


 


Looking Ahead 


Ole Miss returns to Oxford next weekend to host South Carolina, looking to strengthen its postseason positioning and remain in the playoff conversation. 


Oklahoma travels to Knoxville to face Tennessee, where both teams will battle for bowl positioning. The Sooners’ focus will be on starting faster offensively and closing games with greater consistency. 


 


Final Takeaway 


The 34–26 victory over Oklahoma showcased Ole Miss’s toughness, adaptability, and composure under pressure. 


With Chambliss’s leadership, Lacy’s steady production, and Watkins’s breakout performance, the Rebels displayed the balance and grit of a true contender. Meanwhile, Oklahoma’s late surge and defensive effort proved the Sooners’ potential remains strong despite the setback. 


In a clash of ranked powers, it was Ole Miss’s discipline in the closing minutes that made the difference — reaffirming its place among the SEC’s elite. 

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