No. 12 Ole Miss host Auburn on Oct. 31, and both teams are coming off losses in Week 8. While the Rebels and Tigers are at dramatically different places this season, this will be a tough matchup for the home side.
Quarterback
Byrum Brown is the signal-caller for the Tigers, and he has had an inconsistent year. He has 1,365 yards with eight touchdowns and seven interceptions. After his dominant performance against Georgia, he was named SEC Co-Offensive Player of the Week. In the loss to LSU, Brown had 160 yards with no touchdown passes.
Rebel quarterback Trinidad Chambliss was having a stellar year until his poor performance against Texas. He was 25-of-52 passing for 250 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions.
Lots of uncertainty surrounds the performance of both quarterbacks in this matchup. A win for the Tigers or Rebels may come down to which quarterback rebounds the best.
Running backs
Rebel back Kewan Lacy is out against Auburn. Makhi Frazier has already begun to step up for Ole Miss; against Texas, he had six carries for 47 rushing yards. Shekai Mills-Knight may play a more prominent role in the rotation. He had a huge rush of 42 yards and a touchdown against Vanderbilt, but has seen limited snaps since. He has shown flashes of being a reliable back. Hopefully, this matchup will offer him more opportunities to show what he is capable of.
Auburn’s backfield consists of Jeremiah Cobb and Omar Mabson II. Cobb has 63 carries for 320 yards and two touchdowns. Mabson has 240 yards on 40 carries, adding one touchdown. Rotational back Bryson Washington has 18 carries for 71 yards.
The Tiger offense is pass-heavy, so it will be interesting to see how a team that is readjusting its run game competes with a team that prefers to attack through the air.
Offensive Line
Auburn’s offensive line has struggled significantly this season, giving up 30 sacks. On the other side, the Rebels have allowed five.
Ole Miss banged up for now, with Terez Davis, Connor Howes and Brycen Sanders both experiencing injuries in recent games. Because of that, positions have been readjusted and players are in different roles.
The Rebels hold the edge at offensive line because of their versatility and depth.
Tight ends
The Rebels boast tight end depth in Caleb Odom and Luke Hasz. Odom has led the tight end room with 26 receptions for 326 yards and two touchdowns. Hasz has recorded 10 receptions for 61 yards.
Auburn’s tight ends are used in more of a blocking role, but they still have good pass-catching abilities. Jake Johnson has 10 receptions for 86 yards, while Arlis Boardingham has added six catches for 63 yards and a touchdown.
Odom gives the Rebels an edge in this category, and Hasz adds even more power to the group. Auburn’s blockers are dominant, but the Rebels are more powerful pass-catchers.
Wide Receivers
Auburn’s wide receivers are statistically stronger because they are targeted more frequently due to the Tigers’ pass-heavy offense. Keshaun Singleton has 36 receptions for 431 yards and two touchdowns. Chas Nimrod has 33 receptions for 340 yards and three touchdowns.
The Rebels have a strong group themselves with depth in their own right. Deuce Alexander has recorded 610 yards and five touchdowns are 43 receptions. Auburn transfer Horatio Fields has 22 receptions for 284 and four touchdowns.
Auburn’s wideouts are favored simply because they get more targets.
Defensive Line
Neither defensive line has anything to boast about at this point in the season. Blake Purchase is the leader of the Ole Miss line with 14 solo tackles and 4.5 sacks. Cody Sigler for Auburn has produced 17 solo tackles, one sack and two forced fumbles.
Both the Tigers and Rebels do not generate much pressure, and both units are inconsistent at stopping the run. Ole Miss only allowed 39 rushing yards against Missouri, but gave up 302 to Florida. The Tigers gave up only 112 to Vanderbilt, but 243 to Florida.
Secondary
Auburn’s secondary struggles in man coverage and is particularly vulnerable to explosive plays. Against LSU, the unit gave up 387 passing yards and 17 explosive plays. On the other hand, the group has eight interceptions.
The Rebels have recorded seven interceptions this season but struggle with tackling. Ole Miss averages 233 passing yards allowed per game, compared to Auburn’s 251.
Each unit has its struggles, but the Rebels are probably favored in this category because of Auburn’s susceptibility to explosive plays, which can be a major problem for an offense like the Rebels’.
Linebackers
Auburn linebacker Elijah Melendez has 57 total tackles, four sacks and six pass breakups this season. He flies around the field and makes huge plays for the Tigers. The sophomore has had a breakout season and is the leader of the Tiger defense. Auburn also has depth with Demarcus Riddick and Bryce Deas.
The Rebels are led by veterans Suntarine Perkins and Keaton Thomas. Luke Ferrelli has two sacks this season and 46 tackles. Perkins has totaled 41 tackles and 1.5 sacks. The group is very talented, but Auburn has better overall depth and skill in this corps.
Kicker
Auburn’s kicker is Alex McPherson who is 75% on field goals and 100% on extra point attempts. McPherson’s longest field goal is 55 yards. He hit the game-winning 34-yard field goal against Georgia in the final seconds.
Lucas Carneiro, the Rebel kicker, is 78.6% on field goals and 100% on extra points. His longest field goal is 57 yards. Despite his significant success, he has become slightly inconsistent for the Rebels this season.
