Ole Miss handled a hapless Vanderbilt team 54-21 on Saturday. The Rebels showed signs of life defensively, and the offense got back on track.

It is all relative, of course, given the inferior opponent. But let’s hand out some grades for Saturday afternoon.

Quarterback: A

This was an opportunity for a confidence boost for Matt Corral. That is exactly what he got, going 31-for-34 for 412 yards and 6 touchdowns. He was nearly flawless and flashed the arm talent that quickly won him the job over John Rhys Plumlee in August. The previous two weeks had been the most difficult stretch of Corral’s career, and Saturday was exactly what the doctor ordered for a young quarterback developing in the SEC. He was great in this game, and most importantly, he did not turn the ball over, which he had done 9 times in his previous eight quarters of football.

Ole Miss has their future secured at quarterback, and these last four games will be crucial for his development into 2021.

Wide receivers: A

Vanderbilt could not do anything against Elijah Moore. The junior slot receiver terrorized the Commodores defense for the entire afternoon. Coach Lane Kiffin and offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby made it a point to get the ball to Moore early in the game and were creative in doing so. Moore caught 14 passes for 238 yards and 3 touchdowns, with most of his work done by halftime. He is an elite talent and far and away Ole Miss’ best receiver.

Perhaps the most encouraging sign was the production behind Moore. Jonathan Mingo caught 6 passes for 90 yards and was a consistent factor for the first time since the second game of the season at Kentucky. Braylon Sanders, who has been plagued by injuries the past two seasons, caught a touchdown. As talented and productive as Moore is, Ole Miss needs more playmakers on the perimeter to complement him. Sanders and Mingo are the most likely to offer that. Saturday was a good day for both of them.

Running backs: B+

Ole Miss did not have a 100-yard rusher, but they ran the ball with mostly consistent success. They compiled 196 yards as a team and averaged 4.7 yards per rush. Jerrion Ealy led the team with 95 yards on 15 carries. Kiffin would probably admit he’d like to see more consistency in the running game, but it has been more than competent. With Corral performing the way he did, it’s not as if Ole Miss needed to lean on their ground game.

Tight ends: B

Kenny Yeboah caught an early touchdown but did not see many targets after that. He has been a tremendous addition for Ole Miss.

Defensive line: B+

Sam Williams set the tone early with a negative play that got Vanderbilt off the field quickly after Ole Miss’ opening touchdown. The Commodores’ offensive line has struggled tremendously this season, and the Rebels’ D-line took advantage. It recorded only 1 sack, but it had 4 hurries and generated more consistent pressure than it had all year. Vanderbilt also averaged 3.0 yards per rush, and the defensive line played a significant role in limiting the ground game.

Linebackers: B

It’s a similar story here as it pertains to containing the running game. Lakia Henry played well and had the team’s only sack, along with 7 tackles. The Rebels need more production from MoMo Sanogo, but this unit played a good game.

Secondary: A-

This group is getting better. A.J. Finley led the team in tackles with 12 and picked off Ken Seals. Jalen Jordan made a couple of nice plays. The Rebels are more consistently in good position in pass coverage, and it showed in this game. This is the worst secondary in the SEC, but it played well in this game and is improving.