Ole Miss head coach Hugh Freeze is ready to turn the page coming off a 37-10 loss to Georgia in Athens this past Saturday. He knows the Rebels have another opportunity to clinch a bowl berth with a win against the Vanderbilt Commodores on Saturday.
“We’re anxiously ready to get to this week, to have another home game,” Freeze said in his weekly press conference Monday. “I hope our fans understand the importance of this game and will be here ready to cheer very, very loudly in the Vaught Saturday night for our kids.”
Like the Rebels, the Commodores are also just one win away from bowl eligibility, giving Saturday night’s game huge implications for each program. Getting that sixth win is important for a variety of reasons to Freeze.
“It’s important,” he said. “It certainly would help in recruiting, but I really want it more for these seniors, and these kids, and our fans. I really would like to get that sixth win, number one because it’s six, four more than last year.
“It helps us build, and then to be able to send these seniors out playing in a 13th game somewhere sure would be very nice. I think that would be a neat way to end our first year here.”
The Commodores have some experience being in this situation. Last season, the team made it to the Liberty Bowl against Cincinnati by defeating Wake Forest in the last game of the season to clinch a bowl berth. It’s been awhile since the Rebels have played meaningful games in November, and Freeze hopes the Rebels will handle the situation well.
“They’re one game from being bowl eligible also, so I know that (Vanderbilt head coach James Franklin’s) kids will understand the magnitude of every game that’s left on the schedule,” he said. “Hopefully, ours will do the same.”
Small group of plays cost Ole Miss against Georgia
When Freeze turned on the film of Ole Miss’ loss to Georgia from this past weekend, he expected to be able to easily find players who gave up when the Rebels got down big against the Bulldogs.
That wasn’t the case.
“Watching it particularly from the defensive side, our kids played extremely hard all the way throughout the game,” he said.
What he did see was a small group of plays that he thinks cost Ole Miss the game.
“(I) really felt like that game turned on about four plays that really took its toll on us and drained us somewhat emotionally,” he said. “Georgia had 76 plays — 8 of the 76 plays accounted for 278 yards. Obviously, they made the plays, but we certainly didn’t have great eyes at some positions at times.”
Rebels ‘beat up’ after Georgia game
Ole Miss entered the Georgia game with some injuries in key spots and emerged with an even longer injury list.
“We’re beat up,” he said. “We’ve got quite a few kids that will be day-to-day. Hopefully, we can get them all back. We’re banged up and beat up and went into the game beat up at some positions, and I think that showed some also with Senquez (Golson), Wesley (Pendleton), and Aaron (Garbutt) not making the trip.”
Looking ahead to Saturday, Freeze expressed doubt about the readiness of Pendleton (ankle) and Garbutt (flu-like symptoms) to play but was hopeful about Golson (concussion).
“(Garbutt) is still in the hospital and probably it looks like he will get released either Tuesday or Wednesday; so I don’t know that he would be prepared to go at that time,” he said. “Wesley Pendleton, he’s moving around but not quite sure if he’ll be ready. I do expect Senquez to go, but again, when you’re dealing with concussion symptoms you’re never quite sure. He seemed to be doing well (Sunday), and hopefully, he’ll pass that last battery of tests today and tomorrow and be ready to go.”
Sophomore quarterback Bo Wallace took a hit to his shoulder during Saturday’s game, and Freeze had him sit out of Sunday’s practice although he is expected to play Saturday.
“We sat him out on purpose,” Freeze said. “I expect Bo to be ready to go.”
Freeze added that senior Randall Mackey would see some more repetitions at the quarterback spot this week, along with Wallace and junior Barry Brunetti.
Ole Miss-LSU kickoff set for 2:30 p.m. on CBS
Kickoff for Ole Miss’ Nov. 17 road game at nationally ranked LSU has been set for the 2:30 p.m. CT slot on CBS, the Southeastern Conference announced Monday.
It will be the Rebels’ second time in three games on the coveted CBS afternoon time slot.
Ole Miss (5-4, 2-3 SEC) returns home to face Vanderbilt (5-4, 3-3) this Saturday at 6 p.m., as both teams look to become bowl eligible. The game will be televised by ESPNU.
Ole Miss Sports Information contributed to this report.
For continuing coverage of Ole Miss football, follow @thedm_sports and @bennetthipp on Twitter.
REBELS PUT GEORGIA BEHIND THEM, LOOK TO VANDY
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