Ole Miss will return to the friendly confines of Vaught-Hemingway Stadium this weekend after a three-game road stretch, which saw the team post a 1-2 record. The Rebels (3-2, 1-2 Southeastern Conference) will host No. 9 Texas A&M (4-1, 1-1 SEC) in a game that last year came down to the final drive, which propelled the Aggies to a 30-27 win.
Ole Miss head coach Hugh Freeze and players prepare to take the field before the first half against Auburn in Auburn, Ala., Saturday, Oct. 5, 2013. (Photo/Thomas Graning)
The matchup is the sixth all-time in the series with Texas A&M winning all the previous games. This game is the first of a six-game home stretch for the Rebels.
“We’re thrilled to come back home, but it doesn’t get much easier with Texas A&M and LSU coming in back-to-back weeks — two top-10 teams,” Ole Miss head coach Hugh Freeze said in his weekly press conference Monday. “It’s a very difficult stretch even at home.
“It’s going to do us all a lot of good to get back home. But again, it doesn’t get much easier.”
The challenge will be stout this week with the Aggies bringing in a high-powered offense that averages 586.4 yards per game and is led by last year’s Heisman Trophy winner in sophomore quarterback Johnny Manziel.
“I told the guys earlier, ‘If you want a real challenge, play this bunch,’” defensive coordinator Dave Wommack said. “It’s a real challenge this week.”
Manziel, who accounted for 320 yards of total offense against the Rebels last year, will be the focus of the Ole Miss defense this week, and although they may not be able to completely shut him down, containing him may be enough.
““You’re not going to stop him,” Freeze said, “but hopefully, contain him and give us a chance to be in it late in the game.”
Manziel has thrown for 1,489 yards this season with 14 touchdowns and has also added 314 rushing yards with three touchdowns.
Although most eyes will be on Manziel, 6-foot-5 receiver Mike Evans will also garner some attention. Evans leads the Aggies with 28 catches for 691 yards and five touchdowns and is a physical receiver the secondary will be battling with the whole game.
Offensively for Ole Miss, Freeze and his coaching staff are hoping to get back to being a balanced attack after the running game suffered the past two weeks.
“We like to be balanced, but teams are taking certain things away from us that are making us try to do different things that maybe we’re not as gifted as a team,” Freeze said. “We have to continue to work on those things because good teams make you do different things than what your bread and butter are typically.”
Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. Saturday and the game will be televised by ESPN.
