Ole Miss Rebels fans have unexpected silver lining to cling to following crushing College Football Playoff defeat
Kewan Lacy’s phenomenal performance and return to Ole Miss in 2026 should have Rebels fans pumped for the future of the program
The Ole Miss Rebels’ special College Football Playoff season was unceremoniously cut short in their 31-27 loss to the Miami Hurricanes on Thursday. The good news is, there is one somewhat unexpected silvering lining to cling to for Ole Miss fans as they reflect on the best season in program history and look ahead to the future. Kewan Lacy, their now double-record-breaking running back, and many more star talents are returning to Oxford in 2026.
Kewan Lacy ties another rushing record and will return to Ole Miss in 2026
The jury is still out on whether phenomenal breakout quarterback Trinidad Chambliss will be returning. That will certainly be an incredibly important piece of the future puzzle for Rebels fans. However, star running back Kewan Lacy is returning in 2026, and he’s not the only one. Elite linebacker Suntarine Perkins and many other talented Rebels players will be coming back too. Still, Lacy is definitely the most important piece that is 100% coming back to Ole Miss.
Lacy already held the Ole Miss record for most rushing touchdowns in a single season prior to the Rebels’ College Football Playoff semifinal game. After putting up yet another 103 yards on the ground against Miami, Lacy now shares the Ole Miss single season rushing yards record with Quinshon Judkins at 1,567 in total for the year. Most of those 103 yards came on his 73-yard rushing score that gave Ole Miss the early lead against Miami, but Lacy made his presence felt all season long for the Rebels. That won’t change in 2026.
Kewan Lacy’s immediate dominance at Ole Miss and return in 2026 is not just important because the Rebels and new head coach Pete Golding are retaining a talented player. It’s perhaps even more important because of what Lacy’s return signals about the program.
Two years ago, Ole Miss wasn’t the destination school. Now it is. Judkins, the running back that Lacy tied the single season rushing yards record with on Thursday, left the Rebels behind to pursue an opportunity with the Ohio State Buckeyes despite being the clear feature back and in prime position to repeat his incredibly productive performance. Now, players like Lacy, Chambliss, Perkins, and more are all doubling down on Ole Miss. That should drastically change the perception of the Ole Miss program nationwide.
Ole Miss has their head coach of the future, and he’s bringing in a ton of key transfer talents. They’re returning running back Kewan Lacy and most of their important players. The program is looking like they have all the most important pieces working together to build a sustainable competitive operation year in and year out. Rebels fans should have a bright future to look forward to once the pain of defeat subsides.
We’ll be back with more Ole Miss Rebels coverage here at A to Z Sports soon. Follow me (@FF_TravisM) and A to Z Sports (@AtoZSportsNFL) on X for all the latest football news.
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