Ole Miss RB Kewan Lacy (shoulder) ruled doubtful against Florida

It looks like No. 4 Ole Miss is going to have to play No. 21 Florida without its top runner.

style="text-align: left;">Running back Kewan Lacy was downgraded to doubtful in the Rebels’ injury report on Friday due to a shoulder injury, a day before their afternoon SEC clash with the Gators. Lacy had been considered questionable in the previous injury report.

style="text-align: left;">Lacy sustained the injury during last week’s cathartic win over LSU, when he landed hard on his shoulder with a Tigers defender on top of him in the third quarter. Ole Miss head coach Pete Golding told reporters Monday the injury “wasn’t nearly as bad as we thought it was,” but said Lacy would be a game-time decision for Florida.

style="text-align: left;">Few running backs are as important to their teams as Lacy, who led the FBS in both rushes (306) and plays from scrimmage (335) last season, while ranking second in touchdowns with 24 and third in rushing yards with 1,567.

style="text-align: left;">This season has seen the junior operate at a slightly lower pace, especially when factoring his lost quarter and a half against LSU.

style="text-align: left;">Ole Miss moved away from the run game in Lacy’s absence, with back-up runner Josh Lindsey posting only four rushes on the final three drives. Assuming Lacy doesn’t suit up, it will be Lindsey and Makhi Frazier, who was injured for the LSU game, tasked with keeping the Florida defense honest against Heisman favorite quarterback Trinidad Chambliss.