Here’s what we still don’t know about Ole Miss though three games:

Have the Rebels played a good team yet? Have they even been tested? What does the Ole Miss passing game truly look like? Is the offense as balanced as it should be, as it will need to be when the calendar turns to October? How will the defense respond against a talented, versatile quarterback?

Those are all legitimate questions, as much as they likely frustrate fans.

But here’s what we do know on the tail end of No. 20 Ole Miss’ 42-0 drubbing of Georgia Tech Saturday in Atlanta:

The Rebels’ defense is physical, active and disruptive. It has playmakers on all three levels. It has pass rushers who can harass quarterbacks, linebackers who plug gaps and stop the run and defenders who can bring their helmets to the running game all the while providing sticky coverage on the perimeter. Ole Miss tackles well. It flies to the ball.,

With a lead, the Rebels can pin their ears back and bring pressure from both the defensive front and from a variety of blitzes. In all, it appears to be a unit that has the ability to wreak havoc on opposing offenses.

Ole Miss’ running game is a potential beast, powered by an offensive line that appears more than capable of bulldozing opposing defensive front-sevens and a pair of dangerous running backs perfectly able to hit holes with authority and do real damage in the second level and beyond.

Zach Evans and Quinshon Judkins are stars, elite running backs who can impact games any and every time they touch the football. Evans had 18 carries for 134 yards and a pair of touchdowns Saturday. Judkins had 18 carries for 98 yards and two TDs of his own. Even Ulysses Bentley IV got involved, rushing eight times for 27 yards and his own pair of scores.

Ole Miss looks like a proficient team on special teams, as witnessed by a first-quarter blocked punt that set up the Rebels’ second touchdown of the day.

Still, through one quarter of the season, the Rebels’ grade is incomplete. That’s through no real fault of their own. When the game was scheduled, there was no way to know Troy would be in Year 1 of the Jon Sumrall, though it’s worth mentioning, at the risk of applying the transitive property to college football scores, the Trojans went to Boone, N.C., and went toe to toe with an Appalachian State team that beat Texas A&M a week ago in College Station.

There was no way to know years ago that Georgia Tech would be in the midst of an anemic stretch that will likely lead to Geoff Collins’ firing at some point in the coming months. The Yellow Jackets aren’t anything resembling a threat in the Atlantic Conference. A year after going 3-9, Georgia Tech is likely staring at a similar fate this fall.

Tulsa, 1-1 entering tonight’s game versus Jacksonville State, likely won’t present enough resistance next Saturday in Oxford to change any opinions.

Still, there are some really good signs that the Rebels will be able to hold their own and keep winning when October rolls around. No. 9 Kentucky, a 31-0 winner over Youngstown State Saturday, will head to Oxford on Oct. 1. The rest of the month includes a trip to Vanderbilt, a home date against Auburn and road trips to LSU and Texas A&M.

Yes, you’d love to know a little bit more about a team through three weeks, but there are plenty of reasons to feel optimistic. First, I’d argue the Rebels have earned the benefit of the doubt under Lane Kiffin. Dating back to the Outback Bowl win over Indiana to conclude the COViD-impacted 2020 season, Ole Miss has now won 14 of its last 17 games, losing only to Alabama, Auburn and Baylor. Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, there are worse identities to have than — at a minimum — being a team that identifies as stingy on defense and strong in the running game.

Defenses typically don’t have off days. Neither do running games. Again, quarterbacks such as Will Levis and Bryce Young are going to present challenges this defense hasn’t seen yet, but so far, Chris Partridge’s defense passes the eye test. Yes, Kentucky, Auburn, Texas A&M and Alabama are going to put defenses on the field that will force Ole Miss to seek more balance on offense but no one is going to have an easy time stopping Evans, Judkins and Co. on the ground.

Jaxson Dart made some bad decisions, sure. One led to an intentional grounding. One led to an interception. Kiffin likely isn’t thrilled by Dart’s apparent thirst for contact in the open field. However, the 19-year-old made some big plays, both with his arm and with his feet. He looked like a leader. He’s a competitor and he plays with a swagger teammates likely love. His best football is ahead of him.

And Dart’s numbers were pretty solid Saturday. He was 10-for-16 for 207 yards and an interception. He rushed 10 times for 40 yards. He looked like a 19-year-old with a really high upside/very bright future.

How far has the program come in three years? Ole Miss will likely move up a couple of spots in the Associated Press Top 25 Sunday. It’s on the short list, one would assume, to play the role of host for ESPN’s signature morning show, College GameDay, on Oct. 1. It went on the road and absolutely embarrassed a Power-5 program. There was never a doubt. The fact that it can be nitpicked in any manner whatsoever is revelatory of the fact that Kiffin has raised the program’s ceiling as well as its expectations.

Is this Ole Miss team a contender? We simply don’t know yet. Not really. Is it possible this is a special team that is poised for a memorable October and November? Could this be a team that wins 10 or more games and has a magical season? There’s no doubt whatsoever.