Notes and Notables: Rebels defeat Washington State, 24-21, in Homecoming Game at Vaught-Hemingway

OXFORD, MISS. — Ole Miss football struggled against Washington State Saturday, but came away with a 24-21 Homecoming win to move to 6-0 on the year.

The Rebels are now undefeated through six games for the first time since 2022. The difference in today’s matchup came on third downs, where Washington State had problems converting all game. The Cougars went 2-for-10 on third downs for a 20 percent clip, while Ole Miss converted seven of fifteen.

Here are the notes and notables from the game, courtesy of Ole Miss Athletics.

SERIES INFORMATION
• This was the first meeting all-time between the Rebels and Cougars.
• After today, head coach Lane Kiffin holds a 2-1 all-time record vs. Washington State … Kiffin went 1-1 against the Cougars at USC.

CAPTAINS
• Kapena Gushiken (S), Patrick Kutas (OL)  De’Zhaun Stribling (WR).

STARTERS
• OL Jayden Williams is Ole Miss’ active career leader in starts, making his 25th today at right tackle.
• LB TJ Dottery and LT Diego Pounds made their 15th consecutive starts at Ole Miss, which leads all active Rebels.
• CB Ricky Fletcher made his second start as a Rebel, his first since the season opener vs. Georgia State.

GENERAL NOTES
• Today’s attendance was 66,392, the ninth-best crowd all-time at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.
• Ole Miss is off to a 6-0 start for only the eighth time in program history, the second under head coach Lane Kiffin … When including ties, this is only the 10th unbeaten start through six games all-time at Ole Miss.
• After today’s win, Lane Kiffin became the fastest coach in Ole Miss history to 50 wins, needing just 68 games … Kiffin (50-18) broke 50 wins six games faster than John Vaught (50-19-5) and 26 games faster than Billy Brewer (50-41-3), the lone other Rebel coaches to cross the 50-win barrier.
• This was the 98th Homecoming game at Ole Miss since 1924 … The Rebels are now 74-17-2 (.806) in Homecoming games after vacated wins, and have now won 25 of the last 29 on the field.
• Ole Miss is now 73-17 (.811) vs. non-conference opponents dating back to 1994 … Under Lane Kiffin, the Rebels are now 22-2 in non-conference action (19-0 in the regular season).
• Ole Miss is now 310-116-8 (.724) all-time in Oxford (288-113-8 after vacated wins) … Under Lane Kiffin, the Rebels are 32-6 at Vaught-Hemingway, including a 32-3 mark since the start of the 2021 season and an 18-1 record since 2023.

OFFENSIVE NOTES
• RB Kewan Lacy rushed for a career-high 142 yards on 24 carries, the most by any Rebel rusher since Henry Parrish Jr. tallied 165 vs. Middle Tennessee in 2024 … Lacy now has 587 yards on the season.
• Lacy also caught two passes for 19 yards, which gives him a career-high 161 all-purpose yards.
• QB Trinidad Chambliss went 20-of-29 passing for 253 yards and two touchdowns, while adding 15 yards and one score on the ground … Chambliss now has 10 total touchdowns this season.
• Chambliss is the first Ole Miss QB to throw for at least 250 yards through their first four starts since Eli Manning in 2001.
• Chambliss passed 6,000 career yards of total offense across his time at Ferris State (4,578) and Ole Miss (1,567), currently sitting at 6,145.
• TE Dae’Quan Wright led all Rebel receivers with 80 yards on four catches and one touchdown … Wright moved into seventh all-time at Ole Miss in yards among tight ends (753) and is now tied for sixth all-time among TEs with seven touchdown catches.
• WR De’Zhaun Stribling had his best game as a Rebel with six catches for 63 yards.

DEFENSIVE NOTES
• Ole Miss held Washington State to 2-of-10 on third down, the second straight game and third time this season the Rebels have held an opponent to at least 2-of-10 or worse alongside Georgia State (2-of-15) and LSU (2-of-11).
• All-time, this is the first time Ole Miss has held back-to-back opponents to two or fewer third down conversions on at least 10 attempts since the 1997 team held Arkansas (2-of-17) and Tulane (2-of-11) on Nov. 6 and Nov. 15, 1997, respectively.
• That same 1997 team is also the most recent defensive unit to hold three total opponents to under two third down conversions in a season, the other opponent being Vanderbilt (0-of-11, Sept. 27, 1997).
• The Rebel defense tallied a season-high six tackles for loss and four sacks against the Cougars … Ole Miss had only five sacks total on the season entering today.
• DE Kam Franklin matched his career-high with 1.5 sacks on the day … Franklin was tied for the team lead with a career-high six tackles, and he added his first career forced fumble and pass breakup.
• DT Will Echoles finished with a career-high 2.0 TFL and another solo sack, his third this season and second game in a row … Echoles leads all Rebels this season with 3.0 sacks.
• S Wydett Williams Jr. tied his Ole Miss career-high with six total tackles.
• LB Tahj Chambers notched an Ole Miss high six tackles as well.

SPECIAL TEAMS NOTES
• P Oscar Bird punted three times for 125 yards, placing three inside the 20-yard line for the first time in his career.
• K Lucas Carneiro both made and missed a field goal from 40 yards, converting from 40 but missing from 47 … In his career, he is now 10-12 on field goals from 40-49 yards.