The stage is set for another electric Saturday night under the lights in Oxford. When No. 8 Ole Miss )a South Carolina at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, the roar of 60,000 fans will echo across the Grove. Lane Kiffin’s Rebels are not just chasing another win—they’re chasing relevance in the College Football Playoff picture. Across the field, Shane Beamer’s Gamecocks are fighting to save a season that’s slipped through their fingers.
Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. ET on ESPN, and every snap could determine whether Ole Miss keeps its postseason dream alive—or South Carolina finally finds the spark it’s been searching for.
Rebels Riding High, Gamecocks Searching for Answers
Both teams began 2025 with optimism. Ole Miss opened ranked No. 15 in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll, while South Carolina came in at No. 13. But that symmetry didn’t last long.
Under quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, Ole Miss has surged to a 7–1 (4–1 SEC) record, staying firmly in the playoff hunt. The Gamecocks, meanwhile, have stumbled to 3–5 (1–5 SEC), plagued by inconsistency and offensive struggles.
South Carolina ranks last in the SEC in scoring, averaging just 20.3 points per game. That’s a brutal stat when you’re facing one of the league’s most balanced offenses and an aggressive defensive front that thrives on chaos.
The X-Factor: LaNorris Sellers’ Dual Threat
Quarterback LaNorris Sellers is South Carolina’s wild card. The sophomore is a gifted dual-threat who can turn a broken play into a 40-yard highlight. When he’s locked in, like during the win over Kentucky—where he went 11-of-14 for 153 yards and added 81 rushing yards—he can dictate tempo and stress defenses.
But his costly fumble against Alabama last week told the other half of the story: flashes of brilliance shadowed by game-changing mistakes. Coach Shane Beamer refused to pin the loss on him, but Ole Miss’ pass rush won’t be so forgiving.
Why Ole Miss Has the Edge
Chambliss doesn’t need a perfect game to win—he just needs to be himself. Ole Miss has scored at least 24 points in every game, while South Carolina hasn’t cracked that mark in any of its five SEC losses.
Defensively, the Rebels have been a nightmare for quarterbacks. South Carolina’s offensive line has allowed 28 sacks, the second-most in the conference. That’s bad news with Princewill Umanmielen coming off a dominant performance that included 1.5 sacks versus Oklahoma. Expect him and the Ole Miss front to collapse the pocket early and often.
Why South Carolina Still Has Hope
Special teams. Period.
Cornerback Vicari Swain has been electric, returning three punts for touchdowns, the most in the SEC. He’s a 6-foot-1, 190-pound blur who can flip a field—or change a game—without warning. That kind of explosiveness is exactly what South Carolina needs to hang around in Oxford.
If Swain can set Sellers up with short fields or sneak in a score, the Gamecocks might just make this one interesting.
Injury Report
The latest availability report is relatively clean for Ole Miss, with only cornerback Antonio Kite listed. South Carolina, however, enters banged up, with three players questionable ahead of kickoff. Depth could become a real issue if the Rebels’ tempo starts to take its toll.
Lane Kiffin’s Future in the Spotlight
Beyond Saturday, all eyes remain on Lane Kiffin, whose name continues to swirl in LSU and Florida coaching rumors.
Kiffin has publicly brushed it off, calling the speculation a “compliment” to his players’ success and culture. Even Nick Saban weighed in, noting how much the landscape of “elite” coaching jobs has changed.
For now, Kiffin seems focused on keeping Ole Miss in the playoff conversation—and perhaps silencing the chatter with another statement win.
Prediction: Rebels Stay in Command
Prediction: Ole Miss 30, South Carolina 17
Ole Miss has been living on the edge lately, with each of its last four games decided by one possession. This matchup offers a rare chance to breathe. Expect Chambliss to control the clock, the pass rush to feast, and the Rebels to put this one away before the fourth quarter.
South Carolina’s special teams might deliver a spark, but over four quarters, talent depth and rhythm win out.
When the dust settles, Ole Miss vs South Carolina 2025 prediction and analysis points to one conclusion: the Rebels keep rolling, the crowd keeps roaring, and Lane Kiffin’s playoff chase stays alive in Oxford.
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