Previews and Predictions: No. 12 Ole Miss hosts Vanderbilt in Homecoming game

OXFORD, Miss. — The panel is back this week for another roundtable of predictions and previews as the Rebels host Vanderbilt in a Homecoming matchup.

This is the 98th meeting all-time between Ole Miss and Vanderbilt dating back to 1894, and it’s the third-most played series between the Rebels and their 2023 opponents (Mississippi State and LSU).

Ole Miss is one of 10 FBS teams nationally with two AP Top 25 wins. If the Rebels defeat Vanderbilt, head coach Lane Kiffin would be the second-fastest coach in Ole Miss history to 30 wins at 44 total games coached, trailing only Harry Mehre’s 38 games when he coached the Rebels from 1938-1945.

The Landshark defense has been on a tear lately, helping lift Ole Miss to victories against Arkansas and Auburn, but doing so in different ways. The Rebel defense stifled the Razorbacks to just 36 yards on the ground back on Oct. 7, the fewest yielded to an SEC opponent by Ole Miss since shutting out Tennessee to zero rushing yards back on Oct. 18, 2014. Ole Miss followed that up with a lockdown passing defense performance at Auburn, holding the Tigers to just 122 yards through the air — the fewest by the Rebel defense against an SEC opponent since 2019, and the fewest in a win against an SEC opponent since holding Vanderbilt to just 60 passing yards in 2014.

To read more about Vanderbilt and its quarterback situation, please click here. 

Here’s a look at our panel, and many thanks to each! Give them a follow on X, formerly known as Twitter. 

Zach Moreth — The Rebel Walk
Grayson Weir – BroBible
Kam Wicker – The Rebel Walk
Caleb Salers – SuperTalk Mississippi
Tyler Komis – Inside The Rebels/247Sports
TJ Oxley – The Rebel Walk

Game Details

• Kickoff: Saturday, Oct. 28th 6:30 PM CT
• TV: SEC Network
• Radio:
  • OleMissSports.com
  • Memphis: WHBQ-AM 560
  • Oxford: WOXF-FM 105.1
  • Jackson: WFMN-FM 97.3
• Betting Lines (as of Friday at 6:30 p.m.)
  • Ole Miss: – 24.5
  • O/U: 62.5
  • Ole Miss Moneyline: -4000
  • Vanderbilt Moneyline: +1450

Commodores Scouting Report

Vanderbilt comes to Oxford at 2-6 overall and 0-4 in the SEC this season. The Commodores started off 2-0 after wins against Hawai’i (35-28) and Alabama A&M (47-13), but have lost six in a row, including two ranked losses to No. 22 Missouri (38-21) and No. 1 Georgia (37-20).

Vanderbilt has been well disciplined this season, ranking second in the SEC and 27th nationally with an average of just 4.8 penalties for 42.6 yards. The Commodores also are skilled in special teams, currently holding the FBS lead in net punting with an average of 46.0 per punt from SEC leader Matt Hayball.

Offensively, Vanderbilt has been under the leadership of two quarterbacks, with AJ Swann leading most of the passing duties with 1,290 yards and 11 touchdowns before an injury forced backup Ken Seals into the starting role. Seals will start the game against Ole Miss, according to head coach Clark Lea.

Vandy has two rushers with at least 200 yards in Patrick Smith (257) and Sedrick Alexander (225), and are led in the passing attack by wideout Will Sheppard and his 574 yards and eight touchdowns. Sheppard’s eight scores ranks third in the SEC and seventh nationally. Defensively, CJ Taylor has been a one-man wrecking crew, leading with 52 total tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, 3.0 sacks, two interceptions and two forced fumbles.

Predictions

Zach Moreth – The Rebel Walk

Ole Miss 42, Vanderbilt 17

Predictions: Ole Miss will win its homecoming game and it will be a big day for wide receiver Zakhari Franklin. We saw flashes of his potential last weekend when he scored his first touchdown as a Reb and with the status of injured wide receiver Jordan Watkins still being unknown, I would imagine Franklin will see plenty of time on the field this weekend. It’s no secret the 2-6 Vanderbilt Commodores have been struggling, but it will be fun to watch the secondary take on the task of Vandy wide receiver Will Sheppard who has caught eight touchdowns with 574 yards on the season.

X-Factor: Dayton Wade

Kam Wicker – The Rebel Walk

Caleb Salers – SuperTalk Mississippi

Ole Miss 45, Vanderbilt 13

Prediction: The Rebels get off to a quick start with the intention of getting the starters out of the game as soon as possible. The defense clamps down, holding Vanderbilt to under 250 yards of total offense. Both Quinshon Judkins and Ulysses Bentley IV have a big game.

Grayson Weir – BroBible

Ole Miss 42, Vanderbilt 21

Prediction: Keeping this short and sweet, Ole Miss needs to win this game big. The offense has been up and down, it is time that it will all come together. Everything is going to click early and often, which will allow the starters to take some time off in the second half. As a result, Vandy’s ground game makes a slight comeback in the second half while taking advantage of the lull.

Tyler Komis – Inside the Rebels

Ole Miss 59, Vanderbilt 20

Prediction: I think the passing attack has its ‘get-right’ game after dimming since the LSU game.

Bold prediction: Rebels throw for a total of at least 400 yards. Tight end Caden Prieskorn goes for over 120 yards. Suntarine Perkins finds a way to the end zone.

X Factor: Hard for me to do one here, but give me Dayton Wade

TJ Oxley – The Rebel Walk

Ole Miss 38, Vanderbilt 21

Prediction: Ole Miss is heavily favored in this one. Coming off of one of the better defensive performances of the year, Pete Golding’s group has another big day here. The Commodores are one of the weaker teams in the country in running the football with 3.3 yards per carry and an average of 83.3 yards per game. The Ole Miss front seven stuffs the run en route to causing all kinds of pressure on Vandy QB Ken Seals.

X-Factor: The Front Seven

Hotty Toddy!

(Feature image credit: Hannah Morgan White, Ole Miss Athletics)