The No. 8 Ole Miss Rebels will travel to Norman, Okla., to take on the No. 13 Oklahoma Sooners on Saturday, Oct. 25, a week after Ole Miss suffered its first loss of the season against the then-No. 9 Georgia Bulldogs.
The Rebel offense did its job last week in Athens, Ga. The unit logged 351 yards of total offense, with 5.8 yards per play, and scored touchdowns on its first five possessions. Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss completed 19 passes for 263 yards — an average 13.6 yards per completion — and a touchdown, along with 42 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. The offensive line did not allow a single sack.
The defense was a different story. The Rebels allowed 510 total yards on 80 plays. Though the Rebels prevented big plays, Georgia settled into long, exhausting drives and scored points on every possession to outpace Ole Miss 43-35 when the clock hit zeros.
Oklahoma, on the other hand, beat a struggling South Carolina team 26-7 on the road last weekend. Entering the game, the Sooner offense averaged 379 yards of total offense and 28.7 points per game. Yet questions were swirling regarding the offense’s capabilities after the Sooners failed to score a touchdown in a 23-6 loss against then-unranked Texas a week before.
In its game against South Carolina, Oklahoma did what it has done all season: run the ball. Running backs Tory Blaylock and Xavier Robinson combined for 30 carries, 159 rushing yards and two touchdowns.
In his second game back after hand surgery, Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer did not look like himself — or at least how he looked prior to his injury. He threw for 150 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Against Texas, Mateer threw three interceptions.
If this trend continues, the Rebel defense may have hope. Earlier this season, the Rebels allowed 35 points against Arkansas; then, a week later, Ole Miss played tighter against Tulane and allowed just 10 points. Rebel defensive coordinator Pete Golding’s squad has proven it can turn things around from game to game, so this could be a good chance for Ole Miss to reestablish itself on defense.
The Sooners went into South Carolina with the No. 1 defense in FBS, allowing just 211.2 yards of total offense per game. Through seven games, the Oklahoma defense has yielded five defensive touchdowns. The Sooners forced two turnovers and allowed only seven points on 224 yards against South Carolina last week and recorded six sacks on the night.
To take some of the strain off Chambliss, the Rebels will need to revive their run game. Two weeks ago, running back Kewan Lacy’s 161 total yards were instrumental in Ole Miss’ victory over Washington State. Against Georgia, though, Lacy tallied only 12 carries for 31 yards. Although he scored two touchdowns, both of these were one-yard rushes, and Lacy’s explosiveness was missing.
SEC Nation will host its weekly show in Norman, Okla., for this clash between a top offense and a top defense. Ole Miss is in danger of falling into a slump; Oklahoma lost two weeks ago and may fall out of the SEC Championship conversation with another loss. These teams are battling not only to make the playoffs but also to remain afloat in one of the most competitive conferences in the country.
