1. Ole Miss struggled offensively coming off their first bye week. Do you see that being an issue Saturday?
Matt Sigler (@SigNewton_2): I don’t think it will be. Ole Miss will be facing a middle-of-the-pack defense in Arkansas, and also when you look at Arkansas’s last game, a 35-17 loss to Auburn, things look favorable for the Rebels considering that they run a very similar offense to Auburn.
Cody Thomason (@TheCodyThomason): I think Ole Miss will come out prepared and have offensive success from the start. Senior running back Jeff Scott is expected to return to what has become an impressive assortment of backs for the Rebels, which should form an impressive rushing attack. Junior quarterback Bo Wallace should continue his success through the air, and the offense should be back on track.
David Collier (@DavidLCollier): It won’t affect Ole Miss the entire game, but I do think it will slow them down a bit out of the gates. Luckily for the Rebels, they aren’t facing No. 1 Alabama coming off of this bye week, so going against an Arkansas defense that gives up its share of yards should play in Ole Miss’ favor. The defense needs to set the tone early, so the Rebel offense doesn’t start the game playing from behind while it gets back into rhythm.
2. What impact do you think having almost everyone back healthy will have on the Rebels?
Sigler: I think it will be critical as far as keeping fresh legs on the field. Arkansas is a team that will take big chunks off the game clock with a solid running game, so the Ole Miss defense will most likely be on the field quite a bit. Therefore, being able to stay fresh will be a key in this game.
Thomason: I think this will be a huge impact, especially on the defensive side of the ball. Ole Miss’ improved depth will allow them to rotate more and keep their players fresh, especially on the defensive line where Ole Miss was very limited against Idaho.
Collier: I don’t see it playing a huge role this week, but it certainly will going forward. It’s always nice to have that depth at key spots, but how will the conditioning of the returning wounded be? How many plays can they go? That’ll tell us how much they’ll impact the game, but it is certainly nice to have more bodies to throw in there and keep you fresh in the fourth quarters of games, especially against a team that likes to grind it out like Arkansas.
3. Ole Miss seems to play better against teams that run right at you. Do you see them continuing that success against Arkansas, or will the Hogs find success on the ground?
Sigler: I see continued success. Don’t get me wrong, Arkansas has one of the best running games in the conference and one of the best backs in Alex Collins, but with a young offensive line, I don’t see them being able to put up too much against a healthy Ole Miss defense.
Thomason: Ole Miss will be facing stellar freshman back Alex Collins, who could cause some problems for the Rebels, but overall Ole Miss has been more effective against running teams than against passing teams, and I expect this trend to continue.
Collier: It depends on what you define as success. Arkansas is going to run the ball. That’s what they do. If they don’t, then Ole Miss will have their most dominating performance of the year. The key for the Rebels will be to limit the Razorbacks on first- and second-down runs and force Arkansas quarterback Brandon Allen into more passing situations than they are accustomed to.
4. The Rebels are one win away from gaining bowl eligibility. What’s the key for Ole Miss to get the pivotal sixth win?
Sigler: Make the most of offensive possessions and stop the run. The offense will have to limit three-and-outs because once Arkansas gets the ball they are going to have it for a bit. The defense will have to stop the run and not allow the Razorbacks to control time of possession.
Thomason: The key is the run game on both sides of the ball. Ole Miss has to shut down Alex Collins, as he is the key to Arkansas’ offense, and they have to run well against a talented front four for Arkansas. It will be an extremely tough test for the Rebels’ offensive line to contain the Razorbacks’ defensive line, but if they do, the Rebels can have a big day rushing the ball.
Collier: Get an early lead. Arkansas is one of those teams that likes to control the time of possession and grind games out. If they can do that, it’ll be close until the very end. Ole Miss should walk away with a win, but if they can grab an early lead, build on that lead and force Arkansas to pass the ball, it could be an easy win. If they can grab that lead, the Hogs’ strategy of running the clock could work against them.
— Matt Sigler, Cody Thomason and David Collier
