Game Day Primer: The what, when, where and everything in between as No. 13 Ole Miss readies for kickoff at Tennessee

Game day has arrived yet again for Ole Miss football. The Ole Miss Spirit has everything you need to know as you prepare for kickoff …

What: No. 13 Ole Miss (4-1, 1-1 SEC) at Tennessee (4-2, 2-1)

When: Saturday, October 16 at 6:30 p.m. CT on SEC Network

Where: Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn.

How to Watch: The game will be broadcast on SEC Network and can be heard on the Ole Miss Radio Network. 

Series History: This will be the 66th meeting all-time between the Rebels and Volunteers (dating back to 1902) and their first since 2014. Tennessee holds a 44-19-1 advantage in the series, with the original record at 44-20-1. Ole Miss is 5-25 all-time in Knoxville. The Volunteers have won 13 of the last 15 games. The 2014 Ole Miss win was vacated.

Storyline to Follow: Lane Kiffin, then-34-years-old, started his head coaching career with Tennessee in 2009, and he’ll be making his first trip back to Knoxville as a head coach Saturday when the Rebels visit Neyland Stadium. He led the Volunteers to a second-place finish in the SEC East and an appearance in the Chick-fil-A Bowl. Under Kiffin, the Volunteers’ offense jumped at least 34 spots in every national statistical category over the 2008 figures. Tennessee improved from 17.3 to 29.3 points per game while going from 268.8 to 383.5 yards per game in total offense.

“I don’t know that,” Kiffin said Wednesday, when asked how he believes he’ll be received on his third trip back to Tennessee since his exit. “I feel like it’s gotten better over the years just in general and messing around with Twitter and stuff like that and whatever a few years back when there was an opening. I think someone sent an article when all the email requests to (Phil) Fulmer were about hiring us back there. But I don’t know. It may be one thing to say that and feel good about people and a relationship until they jog out in a different color and for those next three hours you need to beat them. I don’t know.”

What’s at Stake: Ole Miss is aiming for its second straight win, but, more importantly, the Rebels are trying to keep pace with formerly top-ranked Alabama, which was upset by Texas A&M last weekend. The surprising loss for the Crimson Tide opened the door for Ole Miss to, with another Alabama loss, to potentially play its way into its first SEC championship game appearance or the College Football Playoff. The Rebels, of course, have to win out — doable, sure, but certainly daunting, if not unlikely, considering its remaining schedule. The Rebels have one of the toughest overall slates in the country. But, if nothing else, most all of their preseason goals remain in front of them. Even without a trip to Atlanta, they could be a playoff team, so long as they keep winning. Anything is seemingly possible with Matt Corral, the Heisman frontrunner at the season’s midway point, and what a difference a week makes. Ole Miss recovered from its ugly, lopsided loss in Tuscaloosa by rebounding with a thrilling, final-second win over Arkansas. The Rebels are No. 13 in the Associated Press Poll, just one spot below their pre-Alabama ranking (No. 12). Ole Miss has been ranked in the Top 25 in all six weeks this season — the longest streak of being ranked since appearing in seven straight polls to start the 2016 season.

ONE WEEK ONLY: GET A FULL YEAR’S SUBSCRIPTION TO THE OLE MISS SPIRIT FOR JUST $1!

ON3 THINGS TO WATCH FOR

1. Can Corral continue his mistake-free play? 

Corral, the current betting favorite, according myriad sportsbooks, to win the Heisman, has thrown a touchdown pass in 17 straight games, the second-longest streak in school history, trailing only Chad Kelly, who owns the record (22) from 2015-16. Corral sits Top 10 nationally in total offense (350.4 ypg), passing efficiency (182.4), points responsible for (122) and yards per pass attempt (10.25). Most impressive, he still hasn’t thrown an interception. In all, he’s racked up 1,497 and 12 touchdowns, while running for 51.0 yards per game and an SEC-best eight touchdowns. He’s the only quarterback in the FBS with at least 10 passing scores and eight rushing scores. Prior to this season, Corral had just seven career rushing TDs in three seasons for the Rebels.

2. Will the real Ole Miss defense please stand up?

Statistically, the Rebels, defensively, have put on tape a grand total of one good half of football on the year — the first two quarters in a blowout win over Louisville. Ever since, they’ve looked about the same as the woebegone units of the previous few seasons, the last of which, in 2020, was among the very worst in all of college football. They finished near the bottom in most every major category. Tennessee has scored 107 points in its last two games. Granted, the Volunteers did so against the porous defenses of South Carolina and Missouri, but the Rebels aren’t doing all that well themselves, and the rumblings of in-staff discontent, namely between Kiffin and co-defensive coordinator DJ Durkin, are only growing louder and louder. Ole Miss and its 3-2-6 scheme surrendered 676 yards and 51 points to Arkansas. The Rebels were on the field for 95 plays. In a word: Yikes. The overall numbers? Thirty-one points and 432.2 yards per game allowed. They’re among the three worst in the SEC in scoring defense, total defense, pass defense and rushing defense.

3. Pressure, please? 

Virginia Tech transfer Hendon Hooker has been a revelation since taking over as Tennessee quarterback for Joe Mixon in Week 2. He’s completing nearly 70 percent of his passes with 13 touchdowns to one interception, and his mobility has assisted the Volunteers in leading the SEC in rushing yards per game. Tennessee utilizes  a similar attack to Ole Miss offensively — to be expected, considering all the connections between the two staffs. Ole Miss offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby served in the same capacity under Tennessee’s Josh Heupel at UCF. Lebby and Heupel, as well as Kiffin, are all borrowing or building upon up-tempo, spread concepts developed by Art Briles at Baylor. Another Baylor connection is Kendall Briles (duh), the offensive coordinator at Arkansas. Ole Miss seldom brought pressure against the Razorbacks, but on those rare occasions the Rebels did, they had success. Two plays that come to mind are Chance Campbell’s sack of KJ Jefferson (a blitz call he made on his own, as Campbell was spying Jefferson on the play) and Arkansas’ two-point conversion attempt to win. Jefferson had two in his face as he threw high, leading to an Ole Miss celebration. Durkin is facing his own kind of pressure. Saturday would be a good time to channel it in a constructive way for an Ole Miss defense that desperately needs a jolt.

INJURY REPORT

Wide receiver Jonathan Mingo (foot) and left guard Caleb Warren (ankle) are out, replaced by Jadon Jackson and Jordan Rhodes, respectively. Head coach Lane Kiffin mentioned on RebTalk with David Kellum, voice of the Rebels, on Thursday other offensive players are expected to sit, too, though he wouldn’t elaborate. Tight end Chase Rogers is rumored to be one of them, opening the door for Casey Kelly, the starter in the Outback Bowl win over Indiana in January. Kelly has become more and more involved since returning from his long absence as he recovered from an ACL injury. Behind him could be Damarcus Thomas. However, true freshman Hudson Wolfe’s availability is one to follow. He was in a boot last week. Running back Jerrion Ealy (concussion) and safety Jake Springer (shoulder) are probable. Of note, Springer worked in a black, non-contact jersey all week. Still, his presence at practice was a positive sign for his potential availability. Springer, arguably the linchpin of the Ole Miss secondary, has been out since Week 2. Ealy missed the Arkansas game. The junior has rushed for 204 yards on 40 carries through four games.