Ole Miss star running back Kewan Lacy’s status for their nationally ranked showdown at Florida is straight up uncertain after he left Saturday night’s win over LSU with a shoulder injury in the third quarter. This isn’t just a bump or a bruise, folks, this is their lead back, and the betting lines are already reacting hard to the news.
Lacy’s Status: The X-Rays Are Negative, But The Anxiety Isn’t
Alright, let’s talk about what we know for sure. Lacy had to exit the LSU game after landing hard on his left shoulder. Before he went out, the man was doing his thing, racking up 43 yards rushing and a touchdown on nine carries. Those are solid numbers for two quarters of work, right? Coach Pete Golding confirmed that the X-rays on Lacy’s shoulder were negative, which is a massive sigh of relief on one hand. But here’s the kicker: Golding offered no further update on Lacy’s status moving forward, other than to say his RB1 wanted to re-enter the game and play through the pain. That tells you the kind of competitor he is, but it doesn’t tell you if he’ll be ready for Florida.
This isn’t Lacy’s first time dealing with an injury this season, either. He also had a thigh bruise that pulled him out of the Rebels’ opening win against Louisville. The guy is a game-changer when healthy, no doubt. Last fall, he set a single-season program record, smashing through defenses for 1,567 yards and leading the entire SEC with 24 touchdowns. That kind of production is irreplaceable. We’re all gonna be glued to that initial player availability report on Wednesday evening, waiting for those designations: “available,” “probable,” “questionable,” “doubtful,” or “out.” On Saturday, it’ll boil down to “available,” “game time decision,” or “out.” Every word in that report is gonna feel huge.
Next Man Up? Meet The Transfer Backfield That Might Get The Call
So, if Lacy is out or limited, who steps up for Ole Miss? The Rebels actually went out and signed three new running backs this offseason, specifically to bolster their backfield depth. Talk about foresight, huh? First up is sophomore JT Lindsey, who transferred in after signing with LSU previously. He got his chance in the second half against LSU after Lacy went down, getting five total touches for 28 yards from scrimmage. Not a huge sample, but he got his feet wet.
Then there’s Makhi Frazier, who apparently slots in as RB3 for Ole Miss. He rushed for 520 yards and two scores last fall at Michigan State, so he’s got proven talent. He played sparingly in the first two games this season but didn’t actually appear in Saturday’s win. It makes you wonder if he’s ready for a bigger workload if needed. And let’s not forget Joshua Dye, a transfer from Southern Utah. This dude was an FCS All-American last season, rushing for 28 touchdowns and eclipsing 1,800 yards on the ground. That’s serious production, even if it was at a different level. One of these guys, or maybe all of them, are about to get a crash course in leading an SEC backfield against a nationally ranked opponent.
What’s at stake for Ole Miss is massive, heading into that nationally ranked showdown at Florida. This game was already looking tough, with Ole Miss opening as a 2.5-point underdog. But get this: the line has already moved to 3.5 points. That 1-point shift? That’s the market reacting to Lacy’s uncertain status, plain and simple. We’re all waiting to see what Golding says next, and if the next man up can truly fill those massive shoes.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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