OXFORD – Mississippi is piling up points faster than at any time in its football history.

Now the third-ranked Rebels (3-0, 1-0 Southeastern Conference) host one of the league’s best defensive teams so far this season in Vanderbilt (1-2, 0-1).

The list of superlatives for the Rebels’ offense is extensive.

Ole Miss is scoring 64 points per game, which is tops in the nation. It’s the first time in school history that the Rebels have scored at least 43 points in three straight games. First-year starting quarterback Chad Kelly leads the SEC in pass efficiency and is averaging more than 19 yards per completion.

The scary thing is Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze believes Kelly was only “average” in the team’s stunning 43-37 win over Alabama last week.

“There were about three or four times that we missed on explosive plays because he is glued in and not going through the progression he needs to go through,” Freeze said. “We need to coach him better and get him more prepared.”

Vanderbilt coach Derek Mason is well aware that the Rebels would like to play at a fast offensive pace. He’s seen it before – Oregon often played an up-tempo style when he was the defensive coordinator at Stanford.

“For us, it’s going to be quick. It’s going to be fast,” Mason said. “We practice it. We understand it. It’s nothing new. This isn’t my first rodeo with tempo.”

Vanderbilt is allowing just 153.3 passing yards per game this season, which ranks second in the league.

By DAVID BRANDT, AP Sports Writer