No. 1 LSU will square off with Ole Miss in Oxford, Mississippi, in the latest installment of the rivalry known as the Magnolia Bowl. The Tigers are rightfully riding high after topping Alabama last week for the first time since 2011 as they boast one of the best offenses in the country. However, this is a natural spot for a let down after the emotional win in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and coach Ed Orgeron will have to bring his team back down to Earth in order to get out of Oxford with a win.
Quarterback Joe Burrow has established himself as the frontrunner for the Heisman Trophy. The senior has completed 78.9% of his passes while throwing for 3,198 yards and 33 touchdowns. He also just lit up the Crimson Tide to the tune of 393 yards and three touchdowns last weekend. Running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire has been the most important player on the field over the last two games — wins over Auburn and Alabama — thanks to his ability to fall forward and spin move his way past the sticks. The numbers don’t suggest that LSU’s defense is on par with defenses of the past, but K’Lavon Chaisson lived in the backfield last weekend and can help the Tigers close strong heading into what should be an appearance in the SEC Championship Game.
Ole Miss: The Rebels racked up a whopping 447 yards on the ground last season and have evolved into an ultra-dynamic rushing attack thanks to the play of dual-threat quarterback John Rhys Plumlee. The freshman has 777 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns — a fantastic addition alongside Scottie Phillips and Jerrion Ealy. They don’t really let him throw, though. He’s only eclipsed 20 pass attempts once over the last five games, but has shown the ability to hit his receivers in stride in the limited window. The defense, on the other hand, does not have the ability to slow down receivers. The Rebels are last in the SEC in pass defense (274.2 yards per game), and allowed a career high 340 yards to Auburn quarterback Bo Nix two weeks ago.
Viewing information
Date: Saturday, Nov. 16 | Time: 7 p.m. ET
Location: Vaught-Hemingway Stadium — Oxford, Mississippi
TV: ESPN | Live stream: WatchESPN.com
The Ole Miss Rebels fans better hope the squad plays one heck of a game on Saturday as the odds are decidedly against them. Ole Miss and the LSU Tigers will face off in an SEC battle at 7 p.m. ET at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium at Hollingsworth Field. Keep an eye on the score for this one: these two teams posted some lofty points totals in their previous games, so things might heat up even more when they meet.
Last week, Ole Miss turned the game against the New Mexico State Aggies into a track meet and took the gold after outgaining them 606 yards to 171. Ole Miss put a hurting on New Mexico State to the tune of 41-3. The game was pretty much decided by the half, when the score had already reached 24-3.
Meanwhile, even if it wasn’t a dominant performance, LSU beat the Alabama Crimson Tide 46-41. RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire had a stellar game for LSU as he rushed for 103 yards and three TDs on 20 carries.
Their wins bumped the Rebels to 4-6 and LSU to 9-0. A pair of offensive numbers to keep in mind before kickoff: Ole Miss rank 13th in the league when it comes to rushing yards per game, with 247.4 on average. LSU has displayed some offensive firepower of their own as they enter the matchup with 379.3 passing yards per game on average, good for second best in the nation. We’ll find out if either of these strengths ends up making the difference in the contest.