Ole Miss Football: 3 takeaways from tough loss at California

1. Both Ole Miss and Cal field strong defenses

While both quarterbacks made questionable throws at times, we cannot leave this game behind without giving adequate credit to both defenses. While the offenses both left something to be desired after this game, both teams were stellar on the other side of the ball.

In addition to picking off the quarterback three times, Cal’s defense dropped Shea Patterson for five sacks in the win. The front seven held the Rebels to 5-of-17 on third-down conversions. They also held Ole Miss to 54 rushing yards, preventing any semblance of balance when the Rebels could have used it most. And then there was Goode’s interception return for a late score, helping ice the game

When Cal had the ball, though, they didn’t play at nearly as high a level as their defensive teammates. The Rebels held Bowers to a 51 percent completion rate, as he threw for just 236 yards and tossed two interceptions of his own. C.J. Moore had both picks off Bowers, showing a preternatural feel for where the quarterback would throw the ball. Cal was able to run the ball, getting 163 yards as a team, but no one player stepped up to dominate.

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If Cal and Ole Miss are going to remain in contention in their respective leagues this year, the defenses are going to carry the bulk of the load. Both teams have strong units that should be able to handle the pressure.