Saturday presents a massive opportunity for the Rebels. While their hopes of a SEC West division title were diminished by their loss to Alabama last weekend, they were not completely destroyed. It will take certain things falling into place, of course, but the Rebels still have a major hand in their own destiny; what better way to start than by righting the ship against a fierce rival?
There is no denying Ole Miss’ offensive struggles against Alabama, as the Rebels mustered just 10 points and only 56 rushing yards. These struggles were emphasized in the run game as sophomore running back Quinshon Judkins had a lackluster game against the Tide and a generally tough start to the season thus far.
Defensively, there were many positives to build upon. Ole Miss held Bama to 24 points and just six points in the first half. Freshman linebacker Suntarine Perkins had a solid game, with two sacks in the first half and five total tackles overall.
On the topic of Perkins, Defensive Coordinator Pete Golding could have him as a spy on Tiger quarterback Jayden Daniels this weekend as he did with Jalen Milroe.
This loss to Alabama puts the Rebels in a position similar to the one they faced last season when, following the loss to Alabama at home, they struggled for the rest of the season. This will be a major point of emphasis looking at this matchup with LSU, as the Rebels look to avoid a repeat of last year’s Magnolia Bowl loss.
LSU comes in after winning its third game in a row last week against Arkansas in a nail-biter. Daniels has had a stellar start to the season, with just under 1,300 passing yards and 12 touchdowns through the air. The Tigers are averaging a whopping 530 yards per game and 42.8 points per game.
Both teams know that this is a must-win. The Rebels are still on track for a great season regardless of how the West turns out, and they have the added incentive of avoiding the embarrassment of last season.
This weekend, the victory is going to come down to whether Ole Miss can put points on the board. The defense has shown that it can make a stand, as it did multiple times against Bama, but the offense will need to show that it belongs in this game. With key playmakers like Zakhari Franklin, Tre Harris and Caden Prieskorn all seeing action last weekend, Ole Miss will need them at the best of their ability to keep up with LSU.
The battle in the trenches will be equally as crucial. Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart was sacked five times last week, which is five times more than he and Head Coach Lane Kiffin would prefer.
Since the Tulane game, questions and doubts have surfaced about the O-line’s ability to give Dart, and Judkins for that matter, the time and space they need. Coming up against a physical defensive front from LSU, Ole Miss has to win the line of scrimmage if Dart wants to flourish.
This has the possibility to be a season-defining game whichever way it goes. Ole Miss still has a tough schedule ahead of it, so a win against the Tigers could do wonders for team morale and confidence. As for LSU, it is very much still in the hunt for the West, and a win on the road would provide them a sizable boost.
Regardless of the outcome, Saturday’s game is shaping up to be a potential all-timer.
