Previews and Predictions: No. 8 Ole Miss at No. 10 LSU

Baton Rouge — Ole Miss got a much-needed win on the road last week in Columbia against a South Carolina team that has been scrappy all season. This week, Ole Miss hopes to follow up on the momentum by heading on the road again to take on LSU in Death Valley. In what is sure to be an electric environment, Ole Miss looks to take home the Magnolia Bowl trophy for the second straight season, the first time that would occur in back-to-back years since 2008-2009.

This will be the 113th Magnolia Bowl meeting between Ole Miss and LSU. The nighttime matchup could ultimately be considered a season-defining game for both teams with each being ranked so highly and each looking to make the College Football Playoffs.

On offense, Ole Miss bounced back with 425 total team yards in the 27-3 win last week over the Gamecocks. On the season, the Rebels still tally the second-most yards per game in the country (576.8). This week, head coach Lane Kiffin’s group will seek to use all of the depth it has with the uncertain status of wide receiver Tre Harris. While Harris had been listed as ‘questionable’ earlier in the week, he was upgraded to ‘probable’ in Friday night’s availability report.

Boasting a defense that gives up an average of just 3.79 yards per carry, defensive coordinator Pete Golding has a legitimate unit that will look to stuff the run early against LSU. The Tigers are a pass-heavy group that will look for big plays through the air to get off to an early start. Ole Miss leads the nation in tackles for loss with 63 and will look to add more of those today while trying to pressure LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier.

– Jordan Watkins on playing LSU in Baton Rouge

The Tigers have started the season 4-1 and are coming off a bye last week. Before that LSU, took down South Alabama 42-10. Led by Nussmeier, LSU’s offense is No. 7 nationally in passing yards per game. On the other side of the ball, LSU allows the most passing yards in the SEC with 236.4 per game.

So what will happen in Saturday’s game?

The Rebel Walk has put together a group of panelists who are weekly sharing their predictions for the upcoming game. Our panel brings a variety of backgrounds and perspectives that showcase many different point of views

Game Details 

• Kickoff: Saturday, Oct. 12th 6:3o PM CT
• TV: ABC
• Radio:
  • OleMissSports.com
  • Memphis: WHBQ-AM 560
  • Oxford: WOXF-FM 105.1
  • Jackson: WFMN-FM 97.3
• Betting Odds:  Ole Miss -3.5, O/U 62.5 (as of Saturday morning)

The Leaderboard

Kam Wicker (The Rebel Walk): 13 Points (+1) 

Grayson Weir (BroBible): 11 Points (+1) 

Adam Brown (The Rebel Walk): 11 Points (+1) 

TJ Oxley (The Rebel Walk): 14 Points (+4) 

Zach Moreth (The Rebel Walk): 7 Points (+1)

Caleb Salers (Supertalk Mississippi): 4 Points (+0)

Panel Predictions

Scoring: Each panel member can earn a total of six points per week.

• One point will be awarded for correctly picking the winning team outright.
• Two points will be awarded if the predicted score is within 7.5 points total. There is a caveat to this. For example, if a panel member says that a team wins the game 21-0 and that team loses 0-21, the total score is technically within 7.5 points. However, points will only be awarded if the score is close to the prediction (i.e. – a score of 24-3 has a total of 27 and is within 7.5 points of 21).
• Lastly, a panel member will be awarded three points if his prediction is correct.

With that being said let’s get to the predictions as Ole Miss hits the road against LSU.

Grayson Weir, Bro Bible

Score: Ole Miss 42 — LSU 32 

Prediction: Ole Miss Defense Tallies Two Second-Half Interceptions

Let’s get weird! The Tigers have allowed an SEC-high 236.4 passing yards per game. Regardless of whether Tre Harris plays or not, this is a great opportunity for Jaxson Dart to look down field early and often. If Harris plays, he exceeds the 100-yard mark in the first half with a touchdown. Regardless of whether Harris plays or not, Juice Wells will be the key to success with five catches for over 75 yards and a wide open touchdown on an RPO. Henry Parrish and Ulysses Bentley each find pay dirt. On the other side, LSU’s offense has proved explosive.

Although it will stay in the game, a pair of interceptions in the second half shift the momentum toward Ole Miss and ultimately prove to be the difference.

Kam Wicker  – The Rebel Walk

Score: Ole Miss 34 – LSU 28

Prediction: Ole Miss defensive line registers 3.0+ sacks

A night game in Baton Rouge can be a terrifying thing, but I don’t think Lane Kiffin sees it that way. A fired up Ole Miss team comes out firing to take a comfortable lead much like 2022, but this time they hold on. The Landshark defense once again steps up big in the second half to close out the game, getting the Rebels their first win in Baton Rouge since 2008.

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Zach Moreth – The Rebel Walk

Score: Ole Miss 30 — LSU 24

Prediction: Caden Preiskorn anytime TD 

Although I have the score being close, the Rebels will command the pace of this game. Death Valley will be rocking but Jaxson Dart and this offense are going to make a statement.

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Adam Brown – The Rebel Walk

Score: Ole Miss 28  — LSU 20

Prediction: Jaxson Dart throws for more than 285 passing yards

The Rebels’ defense stops the Tigers’ ability to run the ball, but LSU will push the ball down the field through the air.

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TJ Oxley – The Rebel Walk

Score: Ole Miss 27  — LSU 24

Prediction: Kyren Lacy under 65.0 receiving yards

The Ole Miss defense has delivered this year, time and time again. Now they go up against what some may argue is the best QB they will face this season in LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier. Similar to Ole Miss, LSU has some nagging injuries that they are navigating through with the losses of Kyle Parker, and potentially both Chris Hilton and CJ Daniels. This sets up a possible premier matchup between Ole Miss’ Trey Amos and LSU’s Kyren Lacy.

Other keys are how well Ole Miss can protect Jaxson Dart and will the interior of the defense continue to have success and stop a struggling LSU run game? Lastly, can Ole Miss find success in the run game with the loss of Matt Jones?

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Caleb Salers – Supertalk Mississippi

Score: Ole Miss 31 — LSU 20

Big prediction: Ole Miss Defense reaches 4.0 sacks

LSU’s talented offensive line has been stingy when it comes to allowing opposing defenses to pressure quarterback Garrett Nussmeier, but that all comes to an end on Saturday with Pete Golding’s defensive front wreaking havoc in the backfield. As the Rebels’ defense continues to dominate, the offense will find a rhythm it had been lacking against tougher defenses in the last two matchups. Jaxson Dart and his favorite target, Tre Harris, will score early and make the Tigers’ rowdy night crowd at Death Valley a non-factor as the Rebels cruise to a crucial victory.