A big game in the SEC title race will take center stage in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. That’s when No. 9 Ole Miss visits No. 13 LSU to renew a long-running rivalry that includes the Magnolia Bowl Trophy since 2008. Go to the winner. This will be the 113th time the former SEC West foes have met, with the Tigers holding a 65-42-4 advantage in the series.
This matchup also features two of the SEC’s most established coaches. LSU coach Brian Kelly (190 wins) and Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin (100 wins) are the only active coaches in the conference with 100 FBS wins. Kiffin has won 39 of those since arriving in Oxford, Mississippi, and with a win Saturday he could become the fastest player in Ole Miss program history to reach 40 wins.
As for the SEC title race, Ole Miss, which lost at home to Kentucky on Sept. 28, still has a chance to win in a tough environment. The Rebels’ remaining schedule includes visits from Oklahoma and Georgia during their next games, so a second conference loss this early in the SEC would be a tough road for Atlanta. It will be. LSU also has big SEC matchups remaining on its schedule — most notably against Texas A&M (Oct. 26) and Alabama (Nov. 9) — but has yet to lose in the conference. They have won four straight since the start of the season. Lost to USC in the opening game.
LSU vs. Ole Miss: What you need to know
Two powerful offenses: Last season’s showdown was a thriller offense in which Ole Miss defeated LSU 55-49 in a game in which Oxford gained 1,343 yards of total offense. And while Jaden Daniels and others head to the NFL, early season results suggest there could be another back-and-forth battle between these two teams. Ole Miss still has star quarterback Jackson Dart and top wide receiver Tre Harris. The Rebels currently rank second in the nation in total offense (576.8 yards per game), second in passing offense (372.8 yards per game) and second in yards per play (8.11 yards per game). And LSU has handed over the reins to Garrett Nussmeier, a junior quarterback who currently ranks first in the SEC in passing touchdowns (15) and fifth nationally in passing yards per game (330.4). and the standards are maintained.
Ole Miss’ run defense answered the question. Playing against a high-powered offense can put stress on the defense, but Ole Miss currently owns the nation’s best scoring differential (+219) and yardage differential (+1,856). The Rebels’ defense ranked first among all FBS teams in rushing defense (63.7 yards allowed per game), sacks (24), and lost tackles (63), while the Rebels’ defense ranked No. 1 among all FBS teams in rushing defense (63.7 yards allowed per game), sacks (24), and lost tackles (63); They’re tied with Texas, which has allowed just three touchdowns.
Don’t underestimate Death Valley at night. LSU home games played under the lights have long been considered one of the great environments and home field advantages in all of college football. This has been especially true since the arrival of Brian Kelly. The Tigers are 12-0 in Saturday night games under Kelly and are 16-1 at home against all opponents in all kickoff times. But the mystique spans multiple coaching regimes and multiple national title winners, as LSU is 108-15 in night games at Tiger Stadium since 2000.
How to watch LSU vs. Ole Miss live
Date: Saturday, October 12 | Time: 7:30 PM ET
Location: Tiger Stadium — Baton Rouge, Louisiana
TV: ABC |Live stream: fubo (free trial)
LSU vs. Ole Miss predictions, picks
The game looks ripe for chaos and confusion, with a back-and-forth style game to see which team has possession last. Although Ole Miss has the top spot statistically, LSU should finish the off week with a win and an emphasis on what it needs to do to maintain its undefeated start in the SEC. The home team is 10-2 in the last 12 games and has covered the spread in 9 of the last 10 games in this series. We predict that trend to continue here as well. Pick: LSU +3.5
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