The Southern Line
Ole Miss expects Kewan Lacy back for Saturday's trip to Vanderbilt
The All-America running back missed the loss at Florida with an injury from the LSU game. Pete Golding plans a rotation rather than a full workload.
No. 9 Ole Miss expects to have star running back Kewan Lacy back Saturday at Vanderbilt, coach Pete Golding said Monday, per ESPN.
Lacy missed the Rebels' 52-28 loss at Florida on Sept. 26 with an injury from the win over LSU a week earlier, then rested through last weekend's bye. Golding said he practiced Sunday night in individual and team periods after a week of mostly non-contact work, and that the staff "fully" anticipates having him.
Do not expect the 2025 workload right away. Golding said the backfield will be a "constant rotation" depending on how Lacy holds up, and that he will not take 40 or 50 snaps. JT Lindsey, a transfer from LSU, and Makhi Frazier, from Michigan State, split the carries at Florida.
Lacy's 2026 has been stop and start: 39 carries for 191 yards and four touchdowns, with a thigh bruise in the opener against Louisville before this latest injury. Last season he was an All-American and a Doak Walker finalist after setting Ole Miss records for carries (306), yards (1,567) and rushing touchdowns (24).
Vanderbilt's quarterback question
The Commodores have their own health watch. Clark Lea said quarterback Jared Curtis is day to day but has practiced "without much limitation." Vanderbilt is 3-2 after a 38-14 loss at No. 2 Georgia.
Ole Miss (3-1) needs this one. Florida's head-to-head win puts the Rebels on the wrong side of a tiebreaker in the playoff conversation, and a second loss would push them from the bubble toward the outside.
Kickoff is 3:30 p.m. ET on ESPN. Prices for the game are on the Ole Miss and Vanderbilt team pages.
