Kentucky Wildcats vs Ole Miss Rebels Picks and Predictions September 6th 2025

Ole Miss vs Kentucky Picks and Predictions September 6th 2025

One game into the season, and the Ole Miss Rebels already look explosive. But so do the Kentucky Wildcats, who survived a scrappy season opener and now look to repeat last year’s upset when they host Ole Miss in Lexington this Saturday.

It’s an early SEC East vs West showdown with momentum, revenge, and playoff hopes on the line.

A Tale of Two Openers

Ole Miss steamrolled Georgia State 63-7 in their opener. Head coach Lane Kiffin rolled out 15 first-time starters, but you’d never know it based on the 695 yards of offense, including 400 through the air. Missouri transfer Kewan Lacy made an instant impact with 108 rushing yards and three touchdowns, while Austin Simmons—finally stepping into the starting quarterback role—delivered 341 yards passing on 20-of-31 attempts.

Defensively, the Rebels held Georgia State to just 69 passing yards. Yet Kiffin wasn’t completely satisfied, pointing to turnover issues and subpar tackling as points of concern.

Meanwhile, Kentucky had a more modest win, edging Toledo 24-16. New quarterback Zach Calzada, a three-time transfer, struggled with accuracy and finished with just 85 yards passing. However, the run game picked up the slack—Dante Dowdell carried the ball for 129 yards and a score, and the defense gave up just 59 rushing yards.

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Key Stats Comparison

Game Storylines

Ole Miss hasn’t forgotten their 20-17 loss to Kentucky in last season’s SEC opener. It was one of their worst offensive outings of the year. Kiffin is using that memory to fuel preparation: “Hopefully it helps us this year.”

With high offensive output and improved depth, this year’s Rebels look more prepared for conference play.

Can Kentucky Do It Again?

Last year’s win over Ole Miss was the high point of a disappointing season for Kentucky. The Wildcats would only win once more, finishing 4-8 overall and 1-7 in the SEC.

Coach Mark Stoops is focused on getting Calzada more comfortable in the offense. “He was pressing,” Stoops admitted after the opener. The Wildcats need better QB play to keep pace with Ole Miss’s high-scoring attack.

Quarterback Battle

Austin Simmons looks like a breakout candidate. After learning behind Jaxson Dart for two years, he appeared poised and productive in his first start. Kentucky needs Calzada to settle in quickly to avoid falling behind early.

Betting Picks and Final Prediction

Ole Miss comes in as the more complete team—explosive on offense and stifling on defense. Kentucky’s defense is respectable, especially up front, but without a more consistent passing game, they’ll struggle to keep up.

Picks Table

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