The Texas A&M Aggies are coming to Oxford this weekend, and this massive matchup cannot be understated.
Ole Miss is coming off of a win over the Liberty Flames last weekend but is still struggling with injuries. Things looked promising in the first half of last week’s game, including a huge touchdown run by Jerrion Ealy on the second play of the game. The Rebels went into halftime up 24-0, and the Rebel offense looked to have things clicking. The defense was almost flawless the entire game, including nine sacks in the game. However, in the second half, things started to look shaky again. For the second game in a row, the typically explosive and dangerous offense scored only three points in the second half.
Looking ahead to this week’s game against No. 11 Texas A&M, this is a bit concerning. The Aggies defense has been very dominant the last few weeks, and are currently on a four-game win streak, including their marquee win over Alabama last month.
Ole Miss is expected to be without their top wide receivers Jonathan Mingo, Dontario Drummond and Braylon Sanders. Offensive lineman Ben Brown has already announced that he will not be returning at all this season.
In order to come away with the win, the backup receivers are going to need to play lights out. John Rhys Plumlee made the move to wide receiver at the end of last year and had one of his best games last weekend against Liberty. Plumlee had seven receptions for 110 yards. Dannis Jackson is another wide receiver that was able to make a statement against the Flames, with six receptions for 126 yards.
Texas A&M has had a lot of problems up front on the offensive line, and if Ole Miss is looking to disrupt, it will be crucial for them to capitalize on every opportunity. Sam Williams broke the single-season record for Ole Miss sacks on Saturday, and having him upfront to create havoc on the line can give Ole Miss the boost that they will need on defense.
Quarterback Zach Calzada suffered a shoulder injury last week against Auburn, but came back into the game. His shoulder popped out after trying to deliver a hit on Auburn defensive back Smoke Monday. He looked to be in a lot of pain, but after the trainers popped it back in, he returned and helped the Aggies solidify a big SEC West win. It is unclear whether the sophomore quarterback will be able to play against Ole Miss.
Running back Isaiah Spiller will be a major threat against this Ole Miss defense on Saturday. Spiller is averaging 6.1 yards per carry for 873 yards so far this season. He is not alone and running back Devon Achane has 706 yards on the year, averaging 7.4 yards per carry.
This is a marquee matchup and probably the biggest game to take place in Oxford since Alabama came to town in 2014. ESPN’s College GameDay will make its second-ever appearance in the Grove on Saturday, and fans everywhere are looking forward to the show. This historic show has been around since 1987, but hasn’t been back in Oxford since 2014. Every Saturday, a big game is selected, and the show travels to that school to run a show from 8-11 a.m. With a huge SEC West matchup happening in Oxford this weekend, it was the obvious choice. This kind of publicity will draw massive crowds to the Grove and Oxford this weekend.
Ole Miss and Texas A&M kick-off on ESPN at 6 p.m. CST on Saturday.
