The season gets real this weekend for No. 20 Ole Miss with a trip to the Bluegrass State to take on Kentucky in the opening Southeastern Conference game of 2025.

The Rebels are on a mission to avenge on Saturday after the events that happened last season in Oxford. The Wildcats escaped with a 20-17 upset in Week 5 that ultimately played a part in derailing Ole Miss from being in the College Football Playoffs 12-team field.

For Lane Kiffin, it is a game that stuck with him longer than most losses and has been in the back of his mind for the last nearly 365 days.

“Somehow even the one before we got here, the last four I believe games have come down to the last play of the game. Gotta be a record,” Kiffin said on Monday. “So these guys always play really tough, really physical against us. We’re gonna have to have a really good week of practice like we did last week and be prepared to go on the road.”

Last week was the debut of the Austin Simmons era and this weekend ushers in the first SEC start of Simmons’ career.

The Rebels are currently a 10-point road favorite over Kentucky, according to BetMGM.

Teams: No. 20 Ole Miss (1-0) at Kentucky (1-0)

Date: September 6, 2025

Location: Kroger Field in Lexington, Kentucky

Time: 2:30 p.m. CT

Television: ABC (Sean McDonough, Greg McElroy, Molly McGrath)

Live Stream: ESPN App

Radio: Ole Miss Radio Network

LiveAudio: OleMissSports.com/watch

Fun Facts

— This is the 47th meeting between the Rebels and Wildcats. The Rebels leads the series 30-15-1.

— Kiffin moved into solo third on the all-time career wins list with a 45-18 record. He was previously tied with David Cutcliffe before Saturday’s win.

— The Rebels FBS-leading 695 yards of offense ranks as the eighth-best ever by an Rebel team. Kiffin owns eight of the top-10 offensive performances all-time at Ole Miss.

— Newcomers on the Rebels roster accounted for 494 of 695 total yards (71.2 percent) of offense against Georgia State

The Rebel Grove’s Kentucky Week Coverage

‘It just all sucked’: Ole Miss loss to Kentucky last season was one that stuck with Lane Kiffin

Everything Mark Stoops said previewing Ole Miss vs. Kentucky

Talk of Champions: What we learned from Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss recruiting after Georgia State

Sanders calls for higher standard after Ole Miss offensive line’s flawed opener