The crimson white
Sports Editor
Kelly Ward
Take it all in.
You have the chance to watch two of the top 15 teams in the country battle it out to remain undefeated in what could be (and probably is) the best conference in college football. Wake up early and go to the set of GameDay.
Take it all in.
When the game starts, it’s all up for grabs. Take that literally, too.
Blake Sims has thrown two interceptions. Ole Miss’s defense has nine interceptions, tied for second in FBS play. Alabama’s defense only had two interceptions, both coming off Florida, but Bo Wallace has thrown six this season.
In a fight between SEC West heavyweights, turnovers will happen. Both defenses are too talented to miss opportunities. They will create them, too. As cliché as it sounds, the offense that can buckle down and minimize mistakes will come out on top.
It will be tough. Playoff hopes are on the line. Chances are no team makes it out of this division undefeated, but a loss early could spell trouble.
Neither teams’ schedule gets any easier with Texas A&M, Auburn, Mississippi State, LSU and even Arkansas in the mix. There are no off weeks in this league.
But there are off weeks in the schedule. Alabama had an extra week after taking down Florida 42-21 to prepare. What that means is a rested team. Sims’ shoulder has had a chance to heal up.
To what extent? That’s a question for Saturday.
The win over Memphis didn’t look too good for Ole Miss, and that showed in the polls. What could’ve been a top-10 matchup turned into two top 15 teams.
It will be interesting to see if Ole Miss can keep Sims in the pocket and the ball away from Amari Cooper. That’s not to say Alabama doesn’t have other options, but Cooper isn’t in Heisman talks for no reason.
Wallace is a bit of a wildcard. He’s the Tony Romo of the SEC West. That’s not meant as an insult. When he’s on, he’s effective and difficult to stop. His potential is sky high, but whether he can reach it is another matter entirely. When he’s off, he throws multiple picks in a game.
Laquon Treadwell could be difficult for Alabama to stop along with the tempo of the offense. The Crimson Tide’s secondary has been inconsistent and plagued by injuries early. Still, Landon Collins is dangerous.
Both teams can match up against the other. This will most likely be a battle of attrition. One team has to outlast the other.
Who will?
We’ll find out Saturday.
Alabama 31, Ole Miss 28
The Daily Mississippian Sports Editor
Dylan Rubino
This is the game Rebel Nation marked on their calendars since the schedule came out.
The opportunity to take down the gold standard of the Southeastern Conference.
A win over third-ranked Alabama could propel the Rebels into the top five in the rankings and put Ole Miss in national championship contention.
As of right now, Alabama is a seven-point favorite against Ole Miss and deservingly so. The Crimson Tide boast a balanced attack on offense with a strong running game by playing three running backs, a senior at quarterback and the best wide receiver in the country in Amari Cooper.
The defense is not your typical Alabama defense of years past. The secondary has suffered from injuries, but the front seven is stout. The Crimson Tide defense averages 14 points allowed, including only two interceptions total.
With the addition of Lane Kiffin as offensive coordinator, senior quarterback Blake Sims did something against Florida that previous starter AJ McCarron never did: throw for over 400 yards in a game.
Kiffin likes to use a vertical passing game to gain big chunks of yards, and it has paid off for Sims in his first season as a starter.
The Crimson Tide struggled in their season opener against West Virginia, winning 33-23 and giving up almost 400 yards of total offense. Maybe the Mountaineers have the blueprint to defeat Alabama, or maybe Auburn had it last season.
Alabama head coach Nick Saban said that Ole Miss will be his toughest game of the season so far. As of right now, it will be Ole Miss’ toughest game of the season by far.
The good Bo Wallace needs to show up Saturday afternoon. One turnover or interception could spell doom early on. A perfect game is not only needed from Bo Wallace, but the defense needs to play lights out like they did against Memphis in order to have a chance.
While the Rebels will put up a fight, too much is being asked for Hugh Freeze’s squad to pull off the upset at home. Alabama has too much depth and talent for the Rebels.
Alabama 24, Ole Miss 17
