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Mississippi-Auburn grades: Robert Nkemdiche game's dominant defender

Mississippi defensive tackle Robert Nkemdiche (5) warms up prior to an NCAA college football game against Vanderbilt, Saturday, Sept. 26, 2015, in Oxford, Miss. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

A 27-19 defeat for Auburn pushes the Tigers to the bottom of the SEC West, while Ole Miss keeps their hopes alive with a fourth conference win. Let’s take a look at the most notable performances and top graded players.

Mississippi Rebels

– Put Robert Nkemdiche (+5.3) on a big stage and watch him go; while this wasn’t the biggest stage, Nkemdiche was the game's dominant defender. He ended the day with two hits, three hurries, and four defensive stops on his 56 snaps.

– This was “Good Chad,” as Chad Kelly (+2.1) had his highest passing grade since his Week 2 demolition of Fresno State. He stills struggles under pressure, but when his line gave him time, he was very accurate, especially downfield, where he completed nine passes over 10 yards in the air.

– To most, Laremy Tunsil (+0.7) is the top tackle in the upcoming NFL draft, but he had some moments in this game that caused concern. After getting flagged for a false start, it took him awhile to get his head back in the game, getting beat badly for a hurry by Carl Lawson (+1.1), and then committing another false start. There was a lot more good than bad, but it wasn’t the dominant effort many had hoped for.

Top performers

DT Robert Nkemdiche (+5.3)

CB Tony Bridges (+3.7)

DT D.J. Jones (+2.2)

QB Chad Kelly (+2.1)

S Mike Hilton (+1.5)

 

Auburn Tigers

– You have to credit Sean White (+0.4) for toughing it out, and it was an effort better than the stat line would give him credit for. He got his deep ball working with an impressive four completions over 20 yards in the air.

– While Carl Lawson (+1.1) traded blows with Laremy Tunsil (+0.7), it was Devaroe Lawrence (+5.8) who really caught our eye, with some strong work in the run game and four quarterback disruptions rushing the passer. This was easily his highest graded game of the year, and indicates more playing time could be coming for him.

– Speaking of guys who earned their best performance of the year, look no further than Kris Frost (+4.1) who was excellent in coverage all day. His highlight was his diving pick, but his ability to get quickly on receivers after the catch will earn looks from more than just opposing offensive coordinators.

Top performers

DL Devaroe Lawrence (+5.8)

G Braden Smith (+5.0)

LB Cassanova McKinzy (+4.2)

LB Kris Frost (+4.1)

DT Montravius Adams (+2.6)

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