After six of the 12 regular-season games on Ole Miss' schedule, the Rebels are 5-1 and ranked at No. 7 in the AP Poll ahead of Saturday night's game against the No. 19 Texas Longhorns.
Although over the last two games, the Rebels' defense has shown major improvements, the main reason why Ole Miss has been winning is the 37.5 points a game the offense is scoring.
Now that half the season is over and we have a proper sample size to analyze, let's take a look at three things we've learned about Ole Miss' offense in the first half of the 2026 season.
1. Trinidad Chambliss is the Heart and Soul of the Rebels
Heading into this season, quarterback Trinidad Chambliss and running back Kewan Lacy were expected to be the brightest stars for Ole Miss and to contend for the Heisman Trophy. Lacy has unfortunately dealt with injury trouble that has limited his impact this season, which has forced Chambliss to step up in a big way.
In the team's first three games, the Rebels were 3-0, and Chambliss was almost entirely responsible for the success. Against Louisville and LSU, the defense struggled, giving up 38 points to Louisville and allowing LSU to come back from a 24-7 deficit to tie the game before Chambliss scored the go-ahead touchdown that helped secure the win.
Chambliss couldn't stop the team from losing to No. 20 Florida in a beatdown, but since that game, the Rebels have stacked up two wins against SEC opponents, including a 31-3 blowout win over No. 22 Missouri.
In the last two games, Lacy has been back, and the defense has stepped up to help Chambliss. However, no other player on the team has been close to having the impact Chambliss has. The Heisman contender has just over 1,800 total yards with 20 total touchdowns and four interceptions.
Chambliss' talent has been on display since he took over for Austin Simmons early last season, but no one would've expected him to be leading the team in rushing touchdowns on top of maintaining his efficiency and production as a passer.
2. Offensive Line Has Exceeded Expectations
A major reason why Chambliss has been able to shine as much as he has is Ole Miss' offensive line.
The position group was the biggest question mark for the Rebels heading into the season, specifically at the offensive tackle positions, since the interior offensive line is composed of returning players.
Through the first six games, though, the offensive line hasn't been much of a concern at all, even despite injury trouble. Chambliss has taken just five sacks this season, which is a testament not only to his pocket presence and his ability to get the ball out quickly but also to the offensive line's protection.
Left tackle Terez Davis has been a force protecting Chambliss' blind side. Additionally, Connor Howes has done a fantastic job at right tackle in relief of Tommy Kinsler, who's had injury trouble.
On top of Chambliss' success, the offensive line has also helped two Ole Miss running backs average over 5.5 yards per carry.
3. Ole Miss Has a National Championship-Level Offense
Ole Miss would've already felt confident in its offense as it performed in the first four games of the season. Now that the team has won two weeks in a row with a combined margin of victory of 63 points, expectations are going to continue to rise.
Of course, a major reason for Ole Miss' dominant last two weeks has been the defense giving up just 17 points to Vanderbilt and three to Missouri. However, being able to play from the lead has opened up the run game, providing a new dynamic to the Rebels' offense that it had been missing.
Against Vanderbilt and Missouri, the Rebels rushed for 196 and 257 yards, respectively. The most rushing yards they had in a game this season prior to those games was 152 against Louisville in the opening game.
The Missouri game, in particular, was the Rebels' best rushing performance of the season. The 257 rushing yards came mostly from Ole Miss' two main running backs, Kewan Lacy and Makhi Frazier, who both ran for more than 100 yards.
If Lacy can stay healthy and Ole Miss can keep up its dynamic offense, the sky's the limit for this team.
Sign up for our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook and X for the latest news.
Add us as a preferred source on Google