OXFORD, Miss. -- For the third straight week, Ole Miss coach Ed Orgeron addressed the media Monday morning after a loss by his Rebels.

But this time, Orgeron was far more upbeat than he has been. Despite losing, 27-10, at eighth-ranked Tennessee Saturday, Orgeron took away a lot of positives that he hopes will not only carry over into Saturday's 1 p.m. homecoming game against The Citadel, but also into the remainder of the SEC season.

''I really thought that our game against Tennessee was very positive for our program,'' Orgeron said. ''We went out there in an atmosphere against a big-time program, in a big-time game, and I thought our guys were really ready to compete. I'm pleased that we did compete for 60 minutes. We got behind 14-0, (but) I don't think anybody blinked. We got ourselves together and we really competed. I thought they competed with those guys until the end.''

Orgeron was even more pleased after the game when he noticed how upbeat his team was in the locker room.

''I think the team is fine,'' Orgeron said. ''I really felt them come together on Saturday. They were in great spirits after the game and I expect the same thing this week.

''I felt that our team has come together for a common cause and we're all on the same page. I'm looking forward to this week, playing The Citadel in our homecoming.''

But in order for the Rebels (1-3, 0-2 SEC) to start rattling off some wins, there still are several areas that need improvement. And then there's the mistakes.

Two glaring fourth-quarter mistakes prevented Ole Miss from cutting into Tennessee's 20-10 lead, and eventually led to the Vols scoring their final touchdown.

First, there was Ole Miss cornerback Travis Johnson's pass interference call on a second-and-24 play from Tennessee's 24 that allowed the Vols to sustain a 15-play, 60-yard drive that took up six minutes, although they failed to score. That's because Ole Miss's defense held them on a fourth-and-2 at the Rebels' 21.

The second critical mistake came on the very next play, when Ole Miss quarterback Micheal Spurlock was stripped of the ball, turning it over at Ole Miss's 14-yard line. Five plays later, Tennessee punched it in for the final blow.

With the exception of Saturday's game, the Rebels have had one disturbing trend. It's the second quarter that usually does the Rebels in. Opponents have outscored them 33-0 in the second quarter. Ole Miss has been able to make halftime adjustments that have enabled them to outscore their opponents, but it's usually after they have dug a hole too deep to get out of.

And because Ole Miss has been inconsistent both running and passing the ball, it's allowed opposing teams to hold onto the ball nearly 10 more minutes than the Rebels.

''We have to find out why that's happening in the second quarter,'' Orgeron said. ''In the first quarter, we're right even with those guys. But I think they're making adjustments to what they're seeing. Maybe we're not making adjustments on the sidelines like we need to. Obviously, we're going into halftime and making those adjustments. We need to make them as soon as we get off the field.''

While Orgeron sees his team getting better, he knows they can't afford to stumble against The Citadel (2-2), a Division 1-AA school.

''We have to continue to make improvement. We cannot take a step back. We have to take a step forward. Two weeks ago, we took a step back. I think we gained a little confidence and we have to continue to do that. We should not be overconfident with anybody.''