Ole Miss broke a three-game losing streak with Saturday’s 37-27 win against Georgia Southern. It was again all about quarterback Chad Kelly, but for more than numbers. Kelly left the game in the third quarter with a right knee injury and will have an MRI on Sunday.

5 TAKEAWAYS

New look line: Ole Miss had a completely different offensive line than it did a week earlier against Auburn. Injuries have taken a toll, so much that left guard Javon Patterson was the center.

Behind that line: It struggled early, but Kelly made the most of it. Kelly threw for 226 yards and a touchdown on 16-of-23 passing and ran for a couple of touchdowns. He took a hard push to the ground that injured the knee.

Kelly’s replacement: Jason Pellerin completed only one pass the rest of the way and will be the starter at Texas A&M if Kelly can’t go. But Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze wasn’t joking after the game when he said he wants to know if Ryan Buchanan will suit up on Saturday. Buchanan left the team on good terms in February. It’s certainly too late to take the redshirt off five-star Shea Patterson.

Judd was key: Senior RB Akeem Judd ran for a career-high 139 yards on 26 carries with a touchdown. He kept Georgia Southern’s offense off the field for much of the second half, scored a touchdown and set up key field goals.

Three to go: The Rebels (4-5) need two more wins to somewhat salvage the season with a bowl game. The three games left are at Texas A&M and Vanderbilt and at home against Mississippi State. ESPN’s FPI has the Rebels heavily favored against the Dores and Dogs.

REPORT CARD

Offense: B – Hard to judge the whole effort with Kelly on the bench, but he was again efficient when in there. Judd ran the way Ole Miss needed him to run against the SEC West. The offensive line got better as the game wore on.

Defense: C – The Eagles had 401 yards of total offense, 267 on the ground. Had QB Kevin Ellison (7-of-16, 134 yards) not been limping around, it would have made a difference in an already stout rushing team. The Rebels bent but didn’t completely break despite being on the field more than 36 minutes. John Youngblood started at linebacker but was carted off the field with an ankle injury in the first quarter.

Special teams: B – It was a special teams onside kick recovery that stymied Georgia Southern’s momentum. Up 21-10, the Rebels recovered the risky Eagles kick. Gary Wunderlich made all three of his field goals and was a big difference in the win. The Rebels had a punt blocked as a trio of protectors just stood there.

Coaching: A – Dealing with a team that has been beaten and beaten up, they are having to take some chances. At this point, the defense is what it is and the offense isn’t what it could be without Chad Kelly or a steady front.

Overall: C – It was an ugly win, but as banged up as Ole Miss is, the Rebels will take it. It’s a high C, but when you still have a chance to lose to Georgia Southern at home in the fourth quarter, things aren’t where they need to be.

GAME PLAN

Start fast as usual. That did not happen. The Rebels were down 14-3 after a quarter. The game plan turned into Judd when Kelly went down. He and the offensive line did a nice job with the new plan in the second half.

GAME BALLS

QB Chad Kelly: Efficiency behind the new line was big. Not great numbers but in two-and-a-half quarters, his 226 yards and 3 total touchdowns was just enough.

DE Fadol Brown: The injured senior defensive end is making the most of the time he has left. Brown had 14 tackles, 1.5 for loss.

RB Akeem Judd: 26 carries for 139 yards and a touchdown. Averaged 5.4 yards per carry. A repeat would be helpful next week in College Station.