Last year, Ole Miss faced LSU at home and had little trouble dispatching the Tigers at home, winning by a score of 38-17. However, the previous affair was a different story, as the Tigers upset the then-undefeated Rebels by a score of 10-7. Senior receiver Quincy Adeboyejo vividly remembered the loss and the tough lesson the team learned after the Tigers shocked the championship-chasing Rebels.
Quincy Adeboyejo (Photo by: Cameron Brooks)
“I remember going in we were undefeated at the time; we were feeling ourselves, and I feel like we went in there a little cocky and thinking that the win would be given to us,” Adeboyejo said. “LSU wasn’t very great back then, so we went in there just thinking the win would just come, and it’s something we can’t go in doing this year. We have to go in there and execute every time we get a chance.”
In the 2014 upset, Tiger Stadium was packed with a sellout crowd of 102,321 that rushed the field after the Tigers won. The 23rd-ranked Rebels now return to Death Valley on Saturday and are ranked just two spots ahead of LSU.
“It’s loud, and it gets to you,” Adeboyejo said. “It’s a hard place to play, definitely. It’s one of the harder places I’ve played at since I’ve been here.”
Last week, the Rebels uncharacteristically struggled catching the ball, missing a few crucial receptions that would’ve led to first down conversions. Adeboyejo said the receivers took it hard.
“As a receiving corps, we just took it upon ourselves that in big games like that, it’s on us to go win it, and we let each other down,” Adeboyejo said. “We feel like we didn’t do the things that we could have to win that game. We feel like there are things we could’ve done differently and it would’ve had a different outcome.”
Adeboyejo went over the steps the group is taking to get back on track this week.
“Just trying to keep each other accountable,” Adeboyejo said. “If we drop a pass, we get our 10 push ups, and try to have short memories, forget the drop and make the next one.”
It’ll be a tough game for the Rebels’ receiving corps to bounce back with, as LSU ranks 12th in the nation in total defense. Adeboyejo had high praise for the Tigers’ secondary.
“I think they’re the best in the SEC, in my opinion,” Adeboyejo said. “Really good safety in Jamal Adams; really good corner in (Tre’Davious) White. They’re really good across the board. They’re sound, and they have really good technique.”
Adeboyejo and the rest of the Rebels’ receivers were ready for the challenge.
“It’s probably the best matchup we’ve seen so far this year, and that’s just going to get us going. It’s going to make us practice harder,” Adeboyejo said. “We know we have a good opponent lining up against us, so we have to bring our all.”
