OXFORD, Miss. -- Ole Miss' quarterback situation was muddled before the season.

After Saturday's 44-8 loss to Arkansas, the Rebels could be headed back to the drawing board at the position.

Seth Adams, a relative unknown a year ago, won the job during the spring and summer. Through the first five games this season, the senior played well -- completing 95-of-155 (61 percent) passes with eight touchdowns and four interceptions.

However, after Saturday's 9-of-21, four-interception performance, his starting job could be in jeopardy next week at Auburn. Adams was replaced after throwing his fourth interception late in the third quarter by fellow senior Brent Schaeffer, who started 12 games a year ago for the Rebels.

"We just wanted to give Brent a chance," Ole Miss coach Ed Orgeron said. "I just didn't want (Adams) to throw another pick."

In a little over a quarter of action, Schaeffer led Ole Miss to its only score, capped by a 37-yard pass to junior Mike Wallace with 6 minutes, 26 seconds remaining in the game. Schaeffer finished 5-of-13 for 103 yards.

Afterward, Orgeron didn't go as far as to declare the position back open for competition, but he did allude to the possibility.

"We'll see," Orgeron said when asked if Adams was in danger of losing his starting job. "I would hope not, I would hope we can get it fixed.

"But again, Seth's position is just like anybody else. If you don't perform, I'll put in the next guy to see if he can perform better."

In the Rebels' last three games, Adams is 47-of-93 (51 percent) with four touchdowns and 10 interceptions.

"I can't let it happen," Adams said. "I don't mean to turn the ball over, obviously, but it's happening and it's something I've got to go in and fix.

"Whatever the cause, whatever the reason, I've got to eliminate them."

Three of Adams' interceptions on Saturday happened with the Rebels in Arkansas territory -- including one in the second quarter after Ole Miss had driven to the Razorbacks' 15.

"I just played poorly and got our team in bad situations," Adams said. "I just never got anything going."

Ole Miss entered Saturday coming off a last-minute loss at home to Alabama, a game in which the Rebels thought they had a chance to win until replay overturned a late catch that would have put them in good position to score the winning touchdown.

Orgeron refused to accept a letdown from that game as a reason for what he called a "flat" performance on Saturday.

"There's no excuses," Orgeron said. "We play in the SEC, and you have to get used to this.

"With our schedule, there's going to be some emotional games week-to-week, we just need to handle it."