If you’ve read any of my Ole Miss previews of games to this point you will realize a few things: I am a Rebel homer, and am very uncertain on how to handle the unfolding events that have formed our season to this point. Rather than explaining myself further, for risk of jinxing it, I will continue on with this path.
This game has an interesting aura for fans of both parties, doesn’t it? 7-0 Ole Miss is coming to Death Valley expecting to win (a rarity in itself). At the same time, the 6-2 Tigers think they have righted the ship and have things going in the right direction; no way the Rebels leave Baton Rouge with a win.
The famous Rebel coach Johnny Vaught once said, “You haven’t truly coached the Rebels until you have beaten LSU in Baton Rouge.”
From someone who witnessed first-hand Jevan Snead systematically abuse the Tigers in 2008, along with the original “Landshark” defense, there aren’t many feelings better than this – at least that athletics can bring.
The recipe for Ole Miss that day will be similar to the one for Saturday night. Like Snead, quarterback Bo Wallace will need to minimize mistakes, while remaining adequately productive. Despite having two strong statistical games against the Tigers in the past two seasons – he eclipsed 300 yards both performances – it is not necessary for him to set the world on fire with this one. As long as he keeps the game tight, the defense will make plays against Anthony Jennings, the unstable, yet at times, electrifying quarterback for LSU.
It will be important for Ole Miss to get the ground game going early, to keep a ball-hawking Tiger defense at bay. The ground game has been the one area that has left something to be desired for coach Hugh Freeze and the Rebs, only averaging about 150 yards per contest (83rd best nationally).
For the Tigers, the key will be pressuring Wallace into making some mistakes, and putting their offense in positions to be successful. If Wallace, or any other Rebel, turns the ball over and provides the Tigers with shorter fields, they will capitalize; they score 85 percent of the time there. Game and game again, Ole Miss has won the field position battle, and it will be just as important here.
Speaking of percentages, Jennings will have to complete a higher portion of his passes if he wants his team to have a chance in this game. For the season, he is right at 50 percent, and to hold down some longer drives, he will have to improve on that Saturday. The Tigers already lean heavily on running backs like Leonard Fournette and Kenny Hilliard, but Jennings will have to balance the offense if the Tigers want to compete in this one.
The possibility of Jennings to play from behind has to be a dangerous thought for Tiger fans, so look for LSU to try and gain momentum early and put this Ole Miss team on its heels, which hasn’t happened since the Alabama game. (Hell, either of these quarterbacks playing from behind isn’t a comfortable thought for the respective fan bases).
The Tigers have been a hot pick in this one, and I haven’t quite figured out why. With respect to one of my favorite coaches, Les Miles, his team beat Kentucky pretty badly last week (which…. I guess is impressive?), but apart from that game have left a bunch of question marks on the field in SEC play. We are talking about a team who got blown out of the stadium against Auburn and Mississippi State (despite a late game “comeback”), and took Florida to the wire.
No one understands the allure of a “Saturday Night in Death Valley” like me, and I think John Chavis will have the defense ready. That said, when the dust settles, I think the LSU offense makes some mistakes against an Ole Miss secondary that leads the country in interceptions. Senquez Golson or Cody Prewitt makes a play. The Ole Miss offense may stumble in the early stages, but at some point, one of the many weapons that Dr. Bo has at his arsenal will find a seam and that’s all this defense will need.
I look for a close game, which is almost always the case when these two teams get together. Who knows, it’s getting pretty close to Halloween, and some crazy things have certainly happened in this rivalry before, but I think this one toes the line, despite what Mark May will almost undoubtedly say come Saturday.
College Game Day. Saturday Night in Baton Rouge. Ole Miss vs. LSU. Does it get any better than this?
*Section Photo credit to Chris Graythen, Getty Images; Featured Photo (above) credit to Spruce Derden, USA Today Sports
