Ole Miss Prepares for Vanderbilt With Lacy Return Uncertainty

Ole Miss entered its matchup with Vanderbilt in Nashville on Oct. 10, 2026, with running back Kewan Lacy listed as questionable because of a shoulder injury. The No. 11 Rebels faced the Commodores at FirstBank Stadium after a loss to Florida and a bye week.

According to the Clarion Ledger, Lacy had missed Week 4 after the shoulder injury and was expected to return against Vanderbilt. Ole Miss was 3-1 overall and 1-1 in SEC play, while Vanderbilt entered at 3-2 overall and 0-2 in the conference.

Lacy played in three games during the 2026 season and recorded 39 rushing yards, 191 receiving? The Clarion Ledger reported he rushed for 191 yards and four touchdowns across those appearances, while also dealing with a thigh bruise in Week 1 against Louisville.

The Clarion Ledger reported Lacy is not related to former Green Bay Packers running back Eddie Lacy despite sharing the same last name. The Ole Miss running back was one of the nation's top rushers in 2025, ranking third nationally with 1,567 rushing yards and setting an Ole Miss single-season record with 24 rushing touchdowns.

Lacy's draft outlook has drawn attention ahead of the 2027 NFL Draft. Sports Illustrated's Richie Bradshaw projected him No. 17 overall to the Chicago Bears on Sept. 12, while ESPN's Jordan Reid projected him as a first-round selection by the Houston Texans at No. 20 in an earlier mock draft.

Ole Miss also prepared for Vanderbilt's offensive threat after the Commodores entered the game with freshman quarterback Jared Curtis expected to return. According to 247Sports, Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea had changed the program's culture, and the team was beginning a six-game SEC stretch.

Sports Illustrated reported Ole Miss needed to improve after its 52-28 defeat at Florida on Sept. 26. The Rebels focused on finishing offensive drives and correcting tackling issues after Florida produced 302 rushing yards.

Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, running back Deuce Alexander and Lacy remained central figures for the Rebels' offense. The team was scheduled to face Vanderbilt at 2:30 p.m. CDT in a nationally televised ESPN matchup, according to 247Sports.