After Ole Miss Routs Auburn 45-15, Golding Praises Mills-Knight and Golesh Blasts a 'Lack of Finish'

It ended as a rout: No. 12 Ole Miss 45, Auburn 15, on Saturday, Oct. 31, in Oxford, Mississippi. The Rebels scored the last 28 points after Auburn pulled within 17-15 late in the third quarter.

The day after, the story is about what each side took from it. Ole Miss found a new running back and a calmer quarterback ahead of a home game against Georgia. Auburn’s first-year coach is searching for answers after a second straight loss.

What Pete Golding said after beating Auburn

Ole Miss coach Pete Golding credited the offense’s efficiency. The Rebels went 13 of 16 on third down and outgained Auburn 487-312, according to the Associated Press.

“How our offense played affected their plan and what they were able to do,” Golding said, per AP. “It was a combination of early success in the run game, getting them behind the chains, and then the efficiency of our offense.”

He also said there was no panic when Auburn cut the lead to two. “There wasn’t a panic even then,” Golding said in quotes released by Ole Miss Athletics, pointing to third-down defense and penalties as the problems his staff cleaned up.

Shekai Mills-Knight’s breakout

With star running back Kewan Lacy out with a separated shoulder, AP reported, sophomore Shekai Mills-Knight ran 16 times for a career-high 71 yards and a touchdown. He had just 42 yards through the first seven games.

“Being on the scout team and playing against one of the best defenses from last year just had me ready,” Mills-Knight said, per Ole Miss Athletics. “When I stepped up in game time, the moment wasn’t too big for me.”

Trinidad Chambliss on “cutting it loose”

Trinidad Chambliss threw for 263 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 65 yards and another score. He said he had been “too far in my head” during recent games against Vanderbilt, Missouri and Texas.

“Just focus on having fun,” Chambliss said of the advice he got from family and offensive coordinator Joe Judge, according to Ole Miss Athletics. “Remember your why.”

What happened with Deuce Knight?

Backup quarterback Deuce Knight closed the scoring with a 17-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. Golding said Knight was still down on himself after the game because of “a couple drops that aren’t like him.” He said he told Knight to keep his head up: “We are going to need you, and you’re a great football player.”

Alex Golesh: “a lack of finish”

Auburn coach Alex Golesh called the loss “disappointing in every way” and said the second half was the first time he had seen his team fail to finish.

“That’s the part that’s making me sick is the lack of finish,” Golesh said, according to AL.com. He called a pre-snap penalty, a lineman not being onside, “inexcusable” and said “that is coaching in every way,” per Ole Miss Athletics’ transcript.

Quarterback Byrum Brown, sacked five times according to AL.com, said the group has to stay together. “This is the point in the season where everyone’s going to try and divide this team,” Brown said. “We are a connected group.”

AL.com noted that Auburn finished October 1-4 against ranked opponents. Its only win in that stretch was the 27-24 upset at then-No. 1 Georgia on Oct. 17.

What’s next for Ole Miss and Auburn?

• Ole Miss (6-2, 4-2 SEC) hosts Georgia on Saturday, Nov. 7, in a night game. Chambliss said the game has “playoff implications, but we can’t focus on that.”
• Auburn (4-4, 2-4 SEC) hosts Arkansas (3-4, 1-3) at Jordan-Hare Stadium on Saturday.

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Earlier coverage: No. 12 Ole Miss Pulls Away From Auburn 45-15 as Trinidad Chambliss Accounts for 3 TDs (Oct 31)