OXFORD, Miss. — — Kentucky beat No. 6 Mississippi 20-17 on Saturday when Rebels kicker Caden Davis fired a 48-yard field goal attempt wide of the mark with 48 seconds left in the fourth quarter, giving the Wildcats their highest bestowed. Ranking victory of trainer Mark Stoops’ 12-year career.

The Rebels (4-0, 0-1 Southeastern Conference) were on a seven-game winning streak and were shocked as double-digit favorites in their SEC opener.

With some luck, the Wildcats (3-2, 1-2) took a three-point lead with 2:25 left in the fourth quarter. Backup quarterback Gavin Wimsatt was on his way to the goal line with a keeper when an Ole Miss defender released the ball – right to tight end Josh Kattus, who fell into the end zone.

Two weeks after Stoops was criticized for a lack of aggression in the final stages of the game in a 13-12 loss to Georgia, the Wildcats’ go-ahead goal was saved on fourth down with a 63-yard completion from Brock Vandagriff to Barion Brown -and- 7 at the Kentucky 20.

Vandagriff passed for 243 yards and a touchdown, helping Kentucky hold off the Rebels’ potent offense. The Wildcats held the ball for nearly 40 minutes.

Jaxson Dart converted a fourth-and-11 on the Rebels’ final drive with a 42-yard pass to Caden Prieskorn, but two plays later Dart took a sack that sent Ole Miss the wrong way as he attempted to go downfield. To reach goal range.

Davis’ potential equalizer came on a fourth-and-7.

Dart finished the game with 261 passing yards, but after Ole Miss averaged 55 points against overmatched non-conference opponents, the Rebels only reached the end zone once after an opening drive touchdown.

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