Zach Calzada can erase old Ole Miss memories on Saturday

Saturday’s game won’t be Zach Calzada‘s first run-in with Ole Miss. In 2021, Calzada was the starting quarterback at Texas A&M when the Aggies traveled to Oxford, Mississippi, to play Lane Kiffin’s Rebels in a game with SEC implications. Texas A&M was ranked No. 11 in the country, playing to remain in SEC contention with only two conference losses. Ole Miss also had two SEC losses and ranked No. 15 nationally.

The game was close in the fourth quarter until two costly interceptions by Calzada blew the score wide open in favor of Ole Miss. The first giveaway came when Texas A&M had the ball with a chance to take the lead, trailing only 15-13, until Calzada threw an INT with his back to his own end zone, setting Ole Miss up in the red zone. Ole Miss scored two plays later to go up 22-13.

Calzada’s second fourth-quarter interception came three throws later, when Ole Miss safety AJ Finley intercepted Calzada and ran 54 yards for a touchdown, effectively sealing the victory.

Calzada went 24-of-42 for 237 yards with the two turnovers in the loss to the Rebels. He finished the 2021 season at A&M with a 56.1% completion rate, 2,185 passing yards, 17 passing touchdowns, and nine interceptions, starting in 10 of 12 games.

Calzada focused on the present

Looking ahead to Saturday’s game in Lexington, Calzada admitted that the 2021 game at Ole Miss will weigh on him for a long time.

“That was a tough one,” he said after Tuesday’s practice, when asked what he remembers about his first Ole Miss game. “That was a tough one. I remember it was a high-ranking game, you know, it was an away game for us, and I let it slip, back then, so that’s what I remember. I’ll remember that game for a long time.”

Calzada isn’t thinking about that game this week, though. He told KSR that his focus is on the present as the Wildcats try to build on their Week 1 win heading into the SEC home opener against the 20th-ranked Rebels.

“I think for me, I thought about it more leading up to this week than I have this week. For this week, the emphasis is getting better and being prepared, for this team to win a football game.”

[WATCH: Zach Calzada and Kentucky’s offense after Tuesday’s practice]

Lane Kiffin mum on past meeting with Calzada

On Monday, Lane Kiffin was asked about facing Zach Calzada in 2021. Kiffin didn’t have much to say about that game, only that it’s irrelevant to Calzada playing for Kentucky in 2025.

“I don’t know,” Kiffin replied. “I think people change within systems for the good, for the bad, and especially at that position. So I don’t take a whole lot from years ago, how somebody played, and you know, I think you see it all the time. People go into different systems and play differently.”

He added, “(Calzada) is very talented. He seems to be really smart and savvy, and he’s won big games. So we’re gonna have to play really well. We’re gonna have to rush the passer and stop the run and try to go on the road and get a win.”