Week 3 Staff Predictions: Ole Miss vs. Arkansas

OXFORD, Miss. — It’s that time of year for the storied rivalry between the Ole Miss Rebels and the Arkansas Razorbacks to be renewed as an SEC showdown in Vaught-Hemingway stadium looms Saturday night.

Lane Kiffin is 3-2 against the Razorbacks in five games with the last two in Oxford coming down to the final possessions of the game. Arkansas holds a 37-30-1 lead in the series over the Rebels, but they have not won in the Vaught since 2017.

With that being said, here is The Rebel Walk staff giving their best shots at predicting what should be another classic in this rivalry between Ole Miss and Arkansas:

Adam Brown

Score Prediction: Ole Miss 31, Arkansas 28

X-Factor Player: Kewan Lacy

Look for the running game to be on display for the Rebels with Kewan Lacy being the featured running back. Lacy runs for 125 yards three touchdowns.

Bold Prediction: Ole Miss defense limits hot Arkansas offense

Arkansas is coming off of two dominant offensive games. It will be important for the Rebels to work quick to get the Razorbacks off the field.

Billy Kuhl

Score Prediction: Ole Miss 38, Arkansas 24

X-Factor Player: Kewan Lacy

Lacy has been a star in his first pair of games as a Rebel, and I am expecting more of the same this week especially with Austin Simmons ankle being in question. I feel the Rebels will really lean into the ground game that Charlie Weis Jr. and Kiffin are finding peace in. 

Bold Prediction: Ole Miss will be trailing at half

The Rebels are entering the week with a lot of uncertainty, especially at quarterback with Simmons being somewhat injured from the Kentucky game, and I think it will take time for Ole Miss to get going this weekend. I look for them to be trailing 21-17 at halftime before coming back to win.

Daylan Flowers

Score Prediction: Ole Miss 24, Arkansas 20

X-Factor Player: Kewan Lacy

Lacy showed the instincts of a superstar player last weekend, and the Rebs will need him again with the availability of Austin Simmons in doubt and the o-line still trying to find its rhythm. In what I expect to be another scrappy matchup between the Hogs and Rebs, Lacy will provide big plays and help Ole Miss get out of bad situations.  

Bold Prediction: Taylen Green throws two interceptions

I think the secondary is hungry to get their hands on an interception for the first time this season, and Green displayed some errors against Arkansas State. Throwing two picks and playing below his standard, Taylen Green will find the Ole Miss defense makes it tough on him Saturday night.

David Walker

Score Prediction: Ole Miss 38, Arkansas 24

X-Factor Player: Suntarine Perkins

By the end of the football game, I predict he will be the leading tackler of Arkansas quarterback Taylen Green. I think over the course of the game the defensive player who best matches up with Green and gets the most hits on the quarterback will be my defensive player of the game. I project that will be Suntarine Perkins.

Bold Prediction: The defense holds Arkansas to under 300 yards total offense

SEC Saturday night at Vaught-Hemingway is going to bring out the very best in Pete Golding’s defense. The weather will be great, spirits high, lights on in prime time, and I think we’ll see the best defensive effort we’ve seen the last three years.

Donna Sprabery

Score Prediction: Ole Miss 34, Arkansas 31

X-Factor Player: Austin Simmons and Kewan Lacy

Last week offered a glimpse of Ole Miss’ toughness. On the road at Kentucky, the Rebels dug themselves an early 10-0 hole thanks to two interceptions. But instead of unraveling, they regrouped. Sophomore quarterback Austin Simmons calmly finished with 235 passing yards, while running back Kewan Lacy carried the load with 138 yards rushing and a touchdown. In all, Ole Miss outgained Kentucky by about 100 yards, went a perfect 5-for-5 in the red zone, and sacked the Wildcats three times. When Kentucky pushed late, the Rebels stood tall, sealing an early 30-23 SEC road win. Arkansas, however, isn’t a team to overlook. 

Bold Prediction: Another close game in Oxford

History says this one will be close, and both offenses are built to trade punches all night. But with the confidence of surviving Kentucky’s push and the balance of Simmons through the air and Lacy on the ground, Ole Miss should have just enough to hold off the Hogs.

Evie Van Pelt

Score Prediction: Ole Miss 35, Arkansas 20

X-Factor Player: Suntarine Perkins

While I think Kewan Lacy will, again, be a hugely impactful player against Arkansas, my x-factor for this game is LB/EDGE Suntarine Perkins. We have seen defensive coordinator Pete Golding use Perkins in the spy role before, and it is because the Raleigh, Mississippi native has the speed to stalk any quarterback in the country. With a dynamic player such as Razorbacks’ 6-foot-6, 236-pound QB Taylen Green, look for Golding and company to get creative defensively — and look for Perkins to be a part of that.

Bold Prediction: Kewan Lacy and Harrison Wallace III break the century mark for the third game in a row.

While the defense will, of course, need to perform well for a win, the Rebel offense needs to be prepared to score in this one — and that comes down to running back Kewan Lacy and wide receiver Harrison Wallace III. Lacy sits atop the SEC in rushing yards, while Wallace III leads the league in receiving yards. These two will need to shine in the home SEC-opener for Ole Miss, and they will.

Jacob Quaglino

Score prediction: Ole Miss 38, Arkansas 31

X-Factor Player: Austin Simmons

This might be somewhat of a lazy choice here, but nonetheless, the outcome of the Rebels’ SEC home opener will be largely—if not solely—dependent on Austin Simmons’ performance. Through his first two games, Simmons has shown no shortage of promise and has given the fans in Oxford every reason to believe that he’ll be the quarterback of the future, but there have also been no shortage of growing pains, as we all saw him throw a handful of ill-fated passes. In the conference opener in Lexington, 10 of the Wildcats’ 23 points came off interceptions thrown by Simmons, and while the Rebels still came out on top, it would’ve a far less stressful conference opener without them. 

It is fair to question if the shaky performance by the offensive line forced the young QB into some poor decisions, but ball protection will certainly be crucial against the Razorbacks.

Bold Prediction: Both teams score more than 30 points

The Razorbacks’ offense has played lights out, averaging nearly 600 yards and more than 50 points per game in their first two games. With that said, however, the competition that they’ve had to face to put up those numbers has not exactly been difficult, but the Rebel defense will still not be able to give an inch to a very talented Arkansas offense. Combine that with an already-proven capable Ole Miss offense led by a head coach who’s been an offensive force in college football for years, and it will be no surprise if the operator of the scoreboard has his busiest night of the season. 

Jordan Merritt

Score Prediction: Ole Miss 31, Arkansas 27

X-Factor Player: TJ Dottery

The linebacker is going to have himself a busy day, coming up against a good dual-threat quarterback and running back room. Dottery will keep Taylen Green and company quiet enough for the Rebels to get the win.

Bold Prediction: Austin Simmons throws for 300 yards and three touchdowns, guiding the Ole Miss Rebels to a massive victory over the much-fancied Razorbacks.

Kam Wicker

Score Prediction: Ole Miss 34, Arkansas 24

X-Factor Player: Trinidad Chambliss

Yes, I fully expect Simmons to suit up and take the field as the starter for Ole Miss when game time rolls around on Saturday. However, the odds of the sophomore being fully healthy is slim to none. I expect Simmons to show out in the passing game but look for Chambliss to have a couple of big-time, significant plays in vital situations in this game.

Bold Prediction: Ole Miss sacks Taylen Green three or more times

In week 2, the Rebel pass rush got to Calzada three times and seemingly got better as the game went on. While rushing the quarterback has not been as effective as last season for Pete Golding‘s unit, expect the Rebels to dial up a ton of pressure against a quarterback that loves to evade the pocket.

Sierra Gann

Score Prediction: Ole Miss 34, Arkansas 27

X-Factor Player: Austin Simmons and Kewan Lacy

Austin Simmons throws for 250 yards and two touchdowns, making less mistakes this game. Kewan Lacy rushes for 90 yards and a score to keep the offense balanced

Bold Prediction: Arkansas keeps it close early

Arkansas’ defense forces a turnover and keeps it close early, but their offense struggles to match Ole Miss in the second half

Zach Moreth

Score Prediction: Ole Miss 34, Arkansas 30

X-Factor Player: Suntarine Perkins

I believe Perkins will record over 1.5 sacks. He should be spying Taylen Green and will need to do a phenomenal job to contain the dual-threat quarterback.

Bold Prediction: Luke Hasz catches a touchdown against his former squad

Ole Miss will continue their win streak heading into game three in an offensive showdown against Arkansas and Hasz will record a touchdown against the team he once suited up for.

Up next:

The week 3 matchup between Ole Miss and Arkansas kicks off Saturday, Sept. 13 at 6 p.m. CT on ESPN. Stay tuned in with The Rebel Walk for all your game coverage.