Ole Miss running back Kewan Lacy (5) reacts with offensive lineman Diego Pounds (61) and wide receiver Cayden Lee (19) after a touchdown against Georgia State on Aug. 30, 2025 at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Petre Thomas / Imagn ImagesOXFORD, Miss. — Brian Kelly knows the key to the Ole Miss offense: Crank the engine and don't take the foot off the gas.
“Their tempo is the best in the league,” Kelly, the LSU coach, said Monday. “You have to get lined up… and it keeps you from doing too much.”
That’s what LSU’s defense will face Saturday at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium — an Ole Miss offense that operates in a blur, snaps the ball every 22.7 seconds (eighth fastest in the nation), and averages 73 plays per game.
For Ole Miss, it’s not just a tactic. It’s an identity.
The Rebels rank No. 9 nationally in total offense (543.3 yards per game) and No. 1 in explosive plays with 32 gains of 20 yards or more through four games. They’ve also scored at a blistering pace despite ranking outside the top 100 in time of possession (27:40 per game), proof that tempo and efficiency drive Lane Kiffin’s scheme.
Quarterbacks Austin Simmons and Trinidad Chambliss have both steered the attack with rhythm — Simmons leaning on quick reads in the passing game, Chambliss adding a run threat that forces defenses to stay honest.
“You’ve got to get your cleats in the ground,” Kelly said. “You’ve got to be fundamentally sound.”
That’s easier said than done. Last week against Tulane, the Rebels scored 45 points, converted eight third downs, and piled up yards on sustained drives. Even when Ole Miss doesn’t finish with points, opponents rarely get a chance to substitute or settle.
The challenge for LSU is compounded by tempo’s ripple effects. Substitutions are limited. Defensive disguises are harder to manage. And fatigue builds quickly, especially against an offense that already thrives on explosive strikes.
Kelly said communication and conditioning are paramount. “Sometimes it keeps you from doing too much,” he explained. The implication: keep it simple, stay lined up and let LSU’s upgraded secondary and front seven do the work.
Ole Miss, meanwhile, will try to replicate 2023's formula, when it stormed past LSU in Oxford with 637 total yards and 55 points. The Rebels don’t have to hit those same highs to be effective — but the Tigers will need to prove they can withstand the pace ... or keep up with it themselves.
No. 11 Ole Miss (4-0, 2-0 SEC) hosts No. 4 LSU (4-0, 1-0 SEC) Saturday at 2:30 p.m. CT. The game will be broadcast on ABC and streamed on the ESPN app.