Ole Miss Rebels: Predicting each game in 2021

The Ole Miss Rebels are one of the hardest teams to predict in college football. ESPN gave it a shot.

Here are predictions for every Ole Miss game, via ESPN:

Sept. 6th: vs. Louisville (Neutral Site): The Chick-fil-A Kickoff game from Mercedes-Benz Stadium. ESPN gives the Ole Miss Rebels a 63.2% chance of starting 1-0. Cardinals headman Scott Satterfield is trying to build the Cardinals back up. An upset against Lane Kiffin’s squad would go a long way.

Sept. 11th: vs. Austin Peay: Vaught-Hemingway Stadium could be home to an offensive explosion for Ole Miss vs. Austin Peay. It’s nothing against the Governors. It’s just that quarterback Matt Corral could throw for over 500 yards against them. ESPN gives the Rebels a 98.2% chance of victory.

Sept. 18th: vs. Tulane: Ole Miss almost has to start the season 3-0. They have a fantastic shot at doing so. The Tulane-Ole Miss rivalry is back in 2021. The Green Wave hasn’t defeated the Rebels since 1988. ESPN doesn’t believe that changes. Ole Miss has a 74% chance of defeating Tulane.

Oct. 2nd: at Alabama: A date in Tuscaloosa is the toughest game on any schedule. Last season, Ole Miss gave Alabama a scare. Still, they were defeated 63-48. Corral passed for 365 yards and two touchdowns. He may have to double that if the Rebels have a shot. ESPN gives them a lowly 9.6% chance to pull the upset.

Oct. 9th: vs. Arkansas: Lane Kiffin and Arkansas head coach Sam Pittman are each going into their second year at their programs. The former’s team looks primed for much more success. Still, Arkansas defeated Ole Miss in 2020. Can Kiffin avenge that loss? ESPN is giving the Rebels a 68% chance to defeat the Razorbacks.

Oct. 16th: at Tennessee: Lane Kiffin. Back in Tennessee. As the head coach of a conference rival. This one is sure to have some extra juice to it. Earlier this year, Josh Heupel left UCF for the Volunteers. What better way to endear yourself than to beat Kiffin? ESPN gives Ole Miss a 58.2% chance to escape with a victory. 

Oct. 23rd: vs. LSU: The Magnolia Bowl has been largely dominated by LSU over the last decade. Since 2010, Ole Miss has only pulled out victories in 2013 and 2015. Last year, LSU won an offensive onslaught 53-48. ESPN believes the Rebels have a 55% chance at revenge. Ed Orgeron’s teams will never be easy to defeat. Still, Ole Miss has to start beating SEC rivals like LSU.

Oct. 30th: at Auburn: The Auburn Tigers got a face-lift this off-season. Former head coach Gus Malzahn is down in Florida. New head coach Bryan Harsin traveled east to take over the reins. He could inject new energy into the Tigers’ program. Tank Bigsby may be the best running back in the country. Can the Ole Miss defense slow him down? ESPN gives the Rebels a 31.6% chance of defeating Auburn. Still, pulling an upset at Jordan-Hare isn’t out of the realm of possibility.

Nov. 6th: vs. Liberty: The return of Hugh Freeze. As coach of Ole Miss, Freeze enjoyed tremendous success. Unfortunately, he left the program in dire straits after multiple NCAA violations. Now, he’s built the Liberty Flames into a formidable opponent. On the field, Malik Willis vs. Matt Corral is an exciting quarterback match-up. ESPN sides with Corral, giving his squad an 85.4% chance at victory. 

Nov. 13th: vs. Texas A&M: It’s entirely possible the Texas A&M Aggies are fighting for a spot in the college football playoff. That makes their game against Ole Miss gigantic. Can the Rebels slow down the Aggies’ tremendous rushing attack? If they can, they could pull the upset in Oxford. Still, ESPN gives the Rebels a 33.1% chance of doing just that. 

Nov. 20th: vs. Vanderbilt: The Ole Miss Rebels get a reprieve prior to the Egg Bowl. Matt Corral was borderline perfect against Vanderbilt last season. It’s a high bar, but he can surpass it this season. Luckily, the Rebels have one of their easiest games before a short week. ESPN gives them a 93.2% chance to take care of business.

Nov. 25th: at Mississippi State: Lane Kiffin won his first Egg Bowl in 2020. Now, he travels to Starkville. Can Mike Leach’s offense outduel Kiffin’s? Over the last decade, the Egg Bowl has been evenly matched. Close games with neither team able to establish a winning streak. ESPN believes that remains the status quo. They’re giving the Rebels a 46.3% chance to repeat last season’s victory.

All in all, an 8-4 season would be positive for the Ole Miss Rebels. ESPN predicts them to have big wins over Arkansas, Tennessee and LSU. Alabama and Texas A&M should be premier programs again in 2021. Finally, they suffer tough losses to Auburn and Mississippi State.

Nevertheless, a lot can change if Corral takes another step forward. It’s feasible that the Rebels can be as good as 10-2 this season. Lane Kiffin’s team is one of the most unpredictable as the season draws near. The Rebels will also be one of the most interesting. Kiffin, Corral and the rest of Ole Miss’ squad can surprise people in 2021.