I am expecting a close game. I feel like Ole Miss wins a close one right now because I think they will attack MSU where every other good offense has, the safeties. I felt like Auburn really picked on Jalen Green in the first half of last Saturday. If MSU wins, it will be because they could not consistently exploit matchups with Drummond/Mingo against the safeties. I expect the run defense to do what they have done all year, but Conner/Ealy/Parrish jr will be a tall task to wrangle all night. I also feel like Ole Miss will have a trick up their sleeve for MSU like a flea flicker of some sort. Drop your thoughts and expectations below.
Drummond and Mingo can’t exploit your safety’s if they can’t play. If Mingo plays he will be extremely limited. He’s just now back trying to practice after major surgery. Drummond is clearly banged up, and they’re just having to pick and choose spots with him. He’s definitely not 100%. And Sanders has been hurt his entire career, unfortunately. We are very limited at WR, right now. Kiffin said in the preseason that he felt like our top 3 WR’s were as good as any trio in the country. But the drop off after them was substantial. And, wouldn’t you know it, all 3 are hurt.
It may prove difficult to scheme average WRs open against your NFL CBS. And we don’t really have a vertical threat at TE to stress your safety’s. That should allow you to bring an extra guy in the box, and improve your already very good run D. And our offense is built around the run game. I think we are in top 3 in the country in rushing. That’s the key matchup. Ole Miss run game versus MSU run D.
The game will likely be decided in the red zone. I expect both teams to move the ball fairly well between the 25’s. But scoring TD’s will decide it.
Matchups I think will favor MSU:
- your interior DL against our interior OL
- your CBs on our very average WRs
- Charles Cross against Cedric Johnson/Tavius Robinson
- home field advantage
Matchups I think will favor Ole Miss:
- Corral and the chess match with safety’s
- Sam Williams against Scott Lashley; if they don’t give Lashley some help, Williams can wreck a drive or two
- schematic matchup with Rogers being a pocket guy - Ole Miss has fared much better against pocket QBs over dual threat guys; but your newfound running game is concerning
- I do feel a little better against the air raid with our base D being a 3-2-6. Our secondary is pretty decent at every position. We don’t have elite guys like Emerson and Forbes, but no glaring holes either
It ought to be a great game. I’ll be a nervous wreck. If Ole Miss didn’t have the substantial offensive injuries they have, I’d like Ole Miss as a moderate favorite, -3 maybe. But with the injuries the line will likely be a Pick ‘Em, and I think MSU would be the best bet. Hopefully I’ll see some of you there!