Ole Miss head coach Pete Golding and the No. 9 Ole Miss Rebels bounced back from an embarrassing 52-28 loss to Florida with a statement 52-17 victory over the Vanderbilt Commodores.

The victory over Vanderbilt was a return to form for Pete Golding's defense following an uncharacteristically poor performance against the Gators.

Although one game against Vanderbilt won't mean much overall for the season, the Rebels and Golding have given fans real reasons to be optimistic heading into the final stretch of Ole Miss' regular season.

Reasons to Be Optimistic About Ole Miss

Prior to the beginning of the season, Pete Golding said he felt this season's defense was "as talented" as Ole Miss' standout 2024 defense, which was one of many factors leading to the excitement surrounding this year's team.

Unfortunately, Ole Miss' defense disappointed in the opening stretch, allowing 38, 24 and 52 points in each of the Rebels' matchups against Power Four opponents before the bye week.

Quarterback Trinidad Chambliss had carried the Rebels to a 3-1 record despite the defensive struggles, but the beating Ole Miss took against Florida proved that he was going to need more help from his team.

The Rebels' defense would bounce back in a major way against Vanderbilt. Allowing just 17 points and fewer than three yards per carry. In fact, the 52-17 final score makes the game look closer than it actually played out; Vanderbilt scored 14 points in the second half; at halftime, the score was 42-3.

The game against Vanderbilt was the first time it felt like Ole Miss had played near their full potential on both sides of the ball this season. For Golding, who is a defense-minded head coach and calls defensive plays, it felt like a return to the identity he established as a defensive coordinator.

In a season in which the Rebels' offense is averaging 38.8 points per game and has yet to have star running back Kewan Lacy healthy for an extended period of time, Golding's defense doesn't need to reach the heights of the 2024 defense to be competitive the rest of the season, even if they play multiple difficult games.

Going forward, the Rebels are set to play four more ranked conference games before the regular season ends, beginning against No. 13 Missouri this Saturday, Oct. 17. If Golding can keep the offense productive and create a defensive identity that's been lacking this season through a few more strong performances, the Rebels could position themselves for a return to the College Football Playoff.

Sign up for our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook and X for the latest news.