Note: Our coverage of Ole Miss football in the College Football Playoff is brought to you by the great folks at BlueSky, Richland Dental, Oxford Krystal and Southern Traditions Farm. We are incredibly appreciative of these sponsors and encourage you to click on the links above to visit their sites.
OXFORD, Miss. — College football paths rarely follow a straight line these days, and few on Ole Miss’ roster embody that reality more than safety Wydett Williams Jr. While the Rebels’ playoff run has shined a national spotlight on familiar names, Williams’ story is one built quietly—layer by layer—through stops that tested patience, belief, and resolve.
Williams didn’t arrive in Oxford with five-star fanfare. He arrived with perspective.
His journey began at Delta State, where he spent two seasons developing as a player and as a person before earning his first Division I opportunity at Louisiana-Monroe. One year later, he found himself at Ole Miss, competing for snaps on a defense chasing a national championship.
“I always dreamed of being here. After I made it D-I at ULM I kind of pushed those dreams aside because I was like, ‘Man, I made it D-I.’ Now, I just wanted a chance to prove myself and God blessed myself with an opportunity to come here so it’s just really been a journey. I wouldn’t trade it for the world. It’s built my character. It built me as a football player, as a person. When I talk to different people I have a testimony now. I’m just grateful for it.”
Wydett Williams Jr.
That gratitude shows up in how Williams plays—and how he fits into a defensive unit that found its identity over the second half of the season. Ole Miss’ secondary is not defined by a single star, but by cohesion, trust, and growth. Williams has been a steady contributor within a group that includes fellow transfers Antonio Kite, Jaylon Braxton, Kapena Gushiken and Sage Ryan anchoring a back end that improved week by week.
Statistically, Williams’ role shifted this season. At ULM, he was everywhere—posting 99 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, and three interceptions. With Ole Miss, his numbers reflect a different responsibility within a deeper, more layered defense: 60 tackles, one tackle for loss, and three interceptions. His impact, however, remains unmistakable.
Williams said his decision to leave ULM wasn’t immediate. It lingered.
“The games that I played (at ULM) I look back on. I was going to stay, at first. I even went through the Spring. Then it just came back on my mind, came back on my heart. And I was like, ‘Why not test myself. Be able to play at the highest level.’ That was really it.”
Wydett Williams Jr.
That leap of faith placed Williams on a playoff stage few players ever reach—and set up a second meeting with Georgia, the only team to beat Ole Miss this season.
The Rebels’ first matchup with the Bulldogs in Athens ended in a 43–35 loss, a game that exposed defensive lapses and never forced Georgia to punt. It was a night that lingered with the defense long after the final whistle. For Williams, the rematch in the Sugar Bowl represents both accountability and opportunity.
“We all wanted to play this game again. So, we’re happy we get to play them,” Williams said.
Since that October loss, Ole Miss hasn’t dropped another game. The defense tightened. Communication improved. Missed tackles decreased. The unit became more connected, more disciplined, and more confident—culminating in a first-round playoff win over Tulane.
“After that game we had to lock in more as a defense. We had to bond more as a team. Whatever we had to do to play better on the defensive side of the ball as far as communicating, tackling, getting turnovers. Anything to help us as a defense that we didn’t do in that game we pressed on harder.”
Wydett Williams Jr.
Now, Williams stands one win away from playing in a national semifinal—something that once felt distant, even unimaginable. His path wasn’t fast. It wasn’t simple. But it was deliberate.
And as Ole Miss prepares for its biggest test yet, Williams’ journey serves as a reminder: sometimes the longest roads lead to the brightest stages.
Next Up
Ole Miss football faces Georgia on New Year’s night, January 1, at 7:00 p.m. in New Orleans at the Caesars Superdome.
Like this:
Like Loading...
Related
Evelyn Van Pelt
Evelyn has covered sports for over two decades, beginning her journalism career as a sports writer for a newspaper in Austin, Texas. She attended Texas A&M and majored in English. Evelyn's love for Ole Miss began when her daughter Katie attended the university on a volleyball scholarship. Evelyn created the Rebel Walk in 2013 and has served as publisher and managing editor since its inception. Email Evie at: Evie@TheRebelWalk.com
