OXFORD, Miss. (AP) – Kentucky dragged another ranked opponent into the dirt, and this time coach Mark Stoops and the Wildcats completed the deal.

Kentucky defeated No. 6 Mississippi 20-17 on Saturday when Rebels kicker Caden Davis missed a 48-yard field goal attempt by 12 with 48 seconds left in the fourth quarter, giving the Wildcats their biggest win -Victory that gave Stoops. year career.

“It was our kind of game. A dirty, ugly and hard-fought game,” Stoops said. “We went out and did what we had to do. We played in our own way. I know it's just one game, but it was a very important game for us. Of course, I couldn’t be prouder of this team.”

The Rebels (4-0, 0-1 Southeastern Conference) were on a seven-game winning streak and were shocked as double-digit favorites in their SEC opener.

“More than disappointing. “It’s a disappointing day,” Mississippi coach Lane Kiffin said. “The game ends with us having a chance to win at every stage and we didn’t. I have to give Stoops credit.”

With some luck, the Wildcats (3-2, 1-2) took a three-point lead with 2:25 left in the fourth quarter. Backup quarterback Gavin Wimsatt was on his way to the goal line with a keeper when an Ole Miss defender released the ball – right to tight end Josh Kattus, who fell into the end zone.

Two weeks after Stoops was criticized for a lack of aggressiveness at the end of the game in a 13-12 loss to then-No. 1 in the fourth round. 1 Georgia, the Wildcats' go-ahead score was kept alive with a 63-yard completion from Brock Vandagriff to Barion Brown on fourth-and-7 at the Kentucky 20.

Vandagriff passed for 243 yards and a touchdown, helping Kentucky hold off the Rebels' potent offense. The Wildcats held the ball for nearly 40 minutes.

Jaxson Dart converted a fourth-and-11 on the Rebels' final drive with a 42-yard pass to Caden Prieskorn, but two plays later Dart took a sack that sent Ole Miss the wrong way as he attempted to go downfield. To reach goal range.

Davis' potential equalizer came on a fourth-and-7.

Dart finished the game with 261 passing yards, but after Ole Miss averaged 55 points against overmatched non-conference opponents, the Rebels only reached the end zone once after an opening drive touchdown.

Tre Harris led the Rebels with 11 receptions for 176 yards, including a 48-yard touchdown that gave the Rebels a 17-13 lead.

Dane Key had eight catches for 105 yards and a touchdown to give Kentucky a 10-7 halftime lead.

“All I can tell you is that Stoops is up in the locker room,” Key said. “That’s a pretty good thing.”

THE TAKEAWAY

Kentucky: The combination of winning the turnover battle (1-0), being effective in the red zone (3-3) and converting on fourth down (3-3) made the difference. The defense has only given up 36 points in the last three games.

Kentucky hadn't beaten such a ranked team on the road since 1977, when the Wildcats won at No. 4 Penn State.

“On the critical downs, we made the critical plays,” Stoops said. “We weren’t sloppy, we made turnovers and got better every week.”

Mississippi: A season full of high expectations, spurred by a star-studded transfer portal class, has already reached a high point. Ole Miss will need a strong boost in October with three road games and home games scheduled against No. 21 Oklahoma and No. 2 Georgia.

GREAT GAME DEFENSE

Kentucky's defense limited Ole Miss to season lows in nearly every statistical category, allowing 353 total yards. The Wildcats had seven tackles for loss, four sacks and held the Rebels to 1 of 10 on third down.

“Our coaches have been preaching consistency and we really had a lot of confidence going into this game,” said Octavious Oxendine, who had two sacks.

IMPLICATIONS ON THE SURVEY

How far behind will the Rebels fall after losing an SEC home opener? The highest-ranked team with a loss is No. 12 Michigan. There were nine other losing teams in the Top 25 poll, so Ole Miss figures to finish there.

NEXT

Kentucky is idle.

Ole Miss visits South Carolina on Saturday.

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