The No. 19 Ole Miss Rebels put offensive fireworks on display in their 63-31 win over the Arkansas Razorbacks on Saturday, and the players credit attitude and preparation for that result.
After record-setting games by both quarterback Jaxson Dart and wide receiver Jordan Watkins, both players were made available to the media where they emphasized the work they put in leading up to this weekend.
The Rebels (7-2, 3-2 SEC) needed to win on Saturday to keep their College Football Playoff hopes alive ahead of a massive matchup against the Georgia Bulldogs each week. That could be stressful for some teams, but Dart believes it has led to a certain positive attitude each week during practice.
“Our backs are against the wall each week,” Dart said. “We know that, and we understand the expectation that we have for ourselves. We play with a chip [on our shoulder]. Honestly, we feel like each and every week, we’ve got nothing to lose now. We’re going to go give it our all. I thought we did an amazing job of preparing this week, and it really showed up today.”
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After the game, head coach Lane Kiffin revealed that he told his team this week that they are one of the best squads in the country, when mistakes don’t derail their performances. Watkins agreed with that statement, and he believes the Rebels recaptured some of the nation’s attention with Saturday’s win.
“I think so, and I think this was a really big statement game for us,” Watkins said. “Coach Kiffin preached it all week, especially last night in the team meeting. We were able to come out here and show the country what we can do. There’s a lot of talk, and just being able to persevere over it and come out on top today, I think we woke a lot of people up.”
Now, Ole Miss will shift its focus to the No. 2 Georgia Bulldogs who come to Oxford next week. Georgia claimed a win over Florida on Saturday, and it has one loss on the year that came at the hands of the Alabama Crimson Tide.
Next week is obviously a huge test for the Rebels, but it’s just another match up in game-by-game mentality.
“Coming into this game, we had to win this game to get to the next one,” Dart said. “That’s where our mindset was. Walking off the field, we all understand what’s to come next week, and we’re excited for the opportunity.”
Rex Nelson has been senior editor and columnist at the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette since 2017, and he has a biweekly podcast called “Southern Fried.”
After graduating from Ouachita Baptist University in 1981, he was a sportswriter for the Arkansas Democrat for a year before becoming editor of Arkadelphia’s Daily Siftings Herald. He was the youngest editor of a daily in Arkansas at age 23. Rex was then news and sports director at KVRC-KDEL from 1983-1985.
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He returned to the Democrat as assistant sports editor in 1985. From 1986-1989, he was its Washington correspondent. He left to be Jackson T. Stephens’ consultant.
Rex became the Democrat-Gazette’s first political editor in 1992, but left in 1996 to join then-Gov. Mike Huckabee’s office. He also served from 2005-09 in the administration of President George W. Bush.
From 2009-2018, he worked stints at the Communications Group, Arkansas’ Independent Colleges and Universities, and Simmons First National Corp.
Dylan Sherman is a business reporter for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. He is based in Northwest Arkansas and focuses on Tyson Foods Inc. and the transportation industry. A graduate of the University of Missouri, he has been with the newspaper since 2023.
The Arkansas Court of Appeals released opinions Wednesday. The court’s ruling and the names of the cases are reprinted here. The full opinions and other court proceedings, including per curiam decisions, orders and submissions, can be found on the internet at arcourts.gov.
PROCEEDINGS OF Jan. 7, 2026
CHIEF JUDGE N. MARK KLAPPENBACH
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CR-23-821. Kenneth Steward v. State of Arkansas, from Benton County Circuit Court. Affirmed. Gladwin and Brown, JJ., agree.
JUDGE ROBERT J. GLADWIN
CR-25-24. Bryce Anderson v. State of Arkansas, from Benton County Circuit Court. Affirmed. Virden and Harrison, JJ., agree.
JUDGE CASEY R. TUCKER
CV-24-537. Flywheel Energy Production, LLC v. Van Buren County, Arkansas; and Van Buren County Judge Dale James, in His Official Capacity as Van Buren County Judge, from Van Buren County Circuit Court. Reversed and dismissed. Abramson and Harrison, JJ., agree.
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JUDGE WENDY SCHOLTENS WOOD
CV-24-209. LRS South, LLC v. Benton County Solid Waste Management District and the Benton County Solid Waste Management District Board, from Benton County Circuit Court. Reversed and remanded. Hixson and Murphy, JJ., agree.
