The No. 9 Ole Miss Rebels will host the Charlotte 49ers at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 12. This meeting will mark the first time in history that the two programs will compete, and each team comes with much to prove after their Week 1 performances.
The 49ers were upset by The Citadel in a triple overtime battle, 43-41. Though Charlotte may not be the most daunting opponent for Ole Miss, the 49ers certainly have attributes that cannot be overlooked.
Charlotte’s offense put up good numbers against The Citadel. Quarterback Cole Gonzales threw for 332 yards and three touchdowns, and the 49ers put up 538 total offensive yards.
Running back Khamani Alexander charted 138 yards on 14 carries. Wide receiver Jaylen Hampton accounted for 177 yards and two touchdowns on eight catches.
The Rebel defense must find a way to tame efficient and multifaceted offenses. The Ole Miss defense did not have the strongest showing against the Louisville Cardinals. The Rebels struggled to stop the run and had lots of broken coverages; they also gave up numerous big plays in critical moments, including 12 explosive plays (20+ yards) in the whole game.
Even though the Rebels were down two defensive backs in Sharif Denson and Antonio Kite, the defense must still make things happen, especially in the secondary.
Cornerback Jaylon Braxton took several poor angles on big gains and missed an opportunity to break up a 2-point conversion late in the third quarter.
Safety Anthony Robinson III allowed a major touchdown in the third quarter that tied the game at 24. In the fourth quarter, Robinson gave up another touchdown which put the Cardinals within one score of the Rebels, 38-31.
Additionally, the Rebel defense must find ways to get off the field. The 49ers converted on 64.7% of third downs in Week 1.
The defense was spotty against the Cardinals. The defense lapsed in the third quarter, allowing 18 points in 15 minutes. Playing complete defense and having everything click at the same time will be crucial for getting right for the remainder of the season.
On the other side of the ball, the Charlotte defense is the 49ers’ biggest weakness. Against The Citadel, the unit gave up 268 rushing yards and missed several tackles.
For the Ole Miss offense, running back Kewan Lacy suffered a minor leg injury in the first half against Louisville and did not return to the game after halftime. Lacy could be used sparingly, if at all, against Charlotte.
Despite Lacy’s injury and potentially reduced playing time this week, the Rebel backfield should not have trouble putting up yards against the 49ers. Makhi Frazier and JT Lindsey stepped up in the backfield against Louisville, providing much-needed depth.
Frazier rushed for 27 yards on seven carries, and Lindsey rushed for 25 yards on seven carries. Frazier’s strength in physical downfield running, and Lindsey’s speed show lots of upside against the 49ers’ struggling defense.
The Charlotte defense also struggles against the pass and gives up many explosive plays. The 49ers surrendered 14.67 yards per completion against The Citadel. While The Citadel only had nine completions, the offense totaled 132 passing yards.
The Rebel offense will look to exploit this weakness. Even though the Ole Miss receiver room still has questions surrounding its depth, there are several playmakers with potential to step up.
Deuce Alexander scored twice on 62-yard receiving touchdowns against Louisville, earning the honor of SEC Co-Offensive Player of the Week. Horatio Fields caught five passes for 47 yards on seven targets. Traylon Ray also caught two passes on two targets and totaled 30 yards.
Quarterback Trinidad Chambliss has a prime opportunity to put up large numbers and bring back the explosiveness that was partially missing in Week 1.
