Week 9 brings another tough test for the No. 8 Ole Miss Rebels as they take on the team with the No. 1 scoring defense nationally, the Oklahoma Sooners.
Headed to Norman this Saturday, Oklahoma's defense remains the top concern for the Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin. When asked about it, Kiffin explained how the squad has locked themselves in the practice this week.
"Good week of practice so far. Extremely challenging game. Obviously, Norman is one of the harder places to play in the country, and then adding to that what I think, really, in our six years, is the hardest defense we’ve played. It’s the most disruptive and hardest defense we’ve played in six years," Kiffin said in his weekly SEC Coaches teleconference.
"The numbers back that. They’re No. 1 in the country in a lot of categories. Got a combination of really elite, quick, fast players with one of the best defensive coaches in all of football for a long time. They’ve got it really rolling."
National Scoring Defense Rankings after Week 8
— SEC Mike (@MichaelWBratton) October 21, 2025
#2 Oklahoma
#3 Texas
#9 LSU
#16 Missouri
#22 Alabama
#24 Auburn
#32 Georgia
#33 Florida
#33 South Carolina
#33 Vanderbilt
#37 Mississippi State
#52 Ole Miss
#62 Texas A&M
#82 Kentucky
#110 Tennessee
#121 Arkansas
The Sooners allow an average of 213.0 yards per game, far below what Ole Miss averages (491.9 yards per game). Brent Venables' decision to handle the defensive play-calling himself has proven to be his best decision so far this season.
Their negative plays create a stiff red zone, but Ole Miss QB Trinidad Chambliss has so far not let any defense stop him from having multiple TDs in each game, not even Kirby Smart's Georgia.
Winning this game is imperative, coming off a 43-35 loss to Georgia last week. After all, the Rebels' college football playoff chances rest on it.
The Rebels take on the Sooners on Oct. 25.