Week 6 Preview: Scouting the Ole Miss Rebels

The South Carolina football team will return to action for the first time since its bye week on Saturday. And that bye week couldn’t have come at a better time, as the Gamecocks are set to begin their toughest three-game stretch of the 2024 season.

First on the docket is No. 12 Ole Miss, which is making its first trip to Williams-Brice Stadium in 15 years.

Before the game kicks off at 3:30 p.m. on ESPN, here’s what the Rebels bring to the table.

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How they got here

Ole Miss spent much of the 2023 season near the top of the SEC, and it has carried that success into the following year. The Rebels head into Saturday’s contest with a 4-1 overall record but a surprising 0-1 mark in conference play.

Ole Miss kicked off the 2024 campaign with four straight matchups against non-conference opponents, only one of which was a member of a Power Five conference. And the Rebels were dominant against each of those teams. They picked up double-digit victories over Furman (76-0), Middle Tennessee State (52-3), Wake Forest (40-6) and Georgia Southern (52-13).

But Ole Miss ran into a wall at the start of SEC competition, and that wall came in the form of an unranked Kentucky team that upset the Rebels by a 20-17 score in Oxford last weekend. The Rebels out-gained the Wildcats on offense (353 yards to 336). It wouldn’t be enough, though, as a late missed field goal would seal the team’s first loss of the year.

Last time out

Ole Miss, as a former member of the SEC West division, historically has not been a frequent opponent of the Gamecocks. The last time the two teams met was on Nov. 14, 2020, when the Rebels won a 59-42 shootout at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.

South Carolina saw strong individual performances from running back Kevin Harris and wide receiver Shi Smith that day. Harris, now a member of the New England Patriots’ practice squad, set both a program record for rushing touchdowns in a single game (five) and a career high in rushing yards (243) on 25 carries. Smith led the Gamecocks’ receivers with 117 yards and one score on 10 catches.

Even though South Carolina logged 548 yards of offense, Ole Miss generated 708. Then-Rebels quarterback Matt Corrall was the star of the show, completing 28 of 32 pass attempts for 513 yards and five touchdowns. The Gamecocks took a four-point advantage in the fourth quarter, but Ole Miss pulled away with 21 unanswered points to clinch the win.

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Where they sit in the rankings

Ole Miss is ranked in both the AP and USA Today Coaches polls. The Rebels are currently ranked No. 12 in the AP poll after falling six spots from last week and receiving 799 votes. The USA Today Coaches poll pegged Ole Miss as the No. 11 team in the country with 743 votes.

In ESPN’s College Football Power Index (FPI), the Rebels are ranked No. 6 with a 21.8 FPI. Their projected record is 9.3-2.8. The team has a 99.8 percent chance of winning six games, a 4.7 percent chance of winning the SEC and a 40.9 percent chance of making the College Football Playoff this season.

In ESPN’s SP+ rankings, Ole Miss checks in at No. 4.

The Rebels sit 16th in the Massey Ratings. It ranks eighth in offense and 13th in defense.

ESPN gives Ole Miss a 75.3 percent chance to win this weekend. The Rebels head into the contest as nine-point favorites, according to ESPN BET.

Players to watch

Jaxson Dart (Senior, quarterback) – From a pure statistical standpoint, Dart is one of the best quarterbacks in the country. He currently leads all NCAA Division I FBS quarterbacks in passing yards (1,185) and is tied for eighth in the nation in passing touchdowns (13), while throwing just two interceptions. Dart also has the seventh-highest odds (+220) of winning this year’s Heisman Trophy, according to FanDuel.

Tre Harris (Senior, wide receiver) – Harris has been the main beneficiary of Dart’s passing prowess, as he is the nation’s leader in receiving yards (804). And it’s not even close – the next-most prolific wideout, TCU’s Jack Bech, has only 647. Harris has found the end zone five times on 49 catches this season. Last year, he logged 985 yards and eight touchdowns on 54 passes in his first season with the Rebels after transferring from Louisiana Tech.

Chris Paul Jr. (Junior, linebacker) – Paul Jr., not to be confused with the NBA superstar with the same name, is a productive member of Ole Miss’ disruptive defensive line. He currently leads the team in tackles (27), solo tackles (20) and tackles for loss (seven). Paul Jr. is also one of four Rebels linemen with over two sacks – he has 2.5.

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Path to victory

Through five contests, Ole Miss’ offense is the best not just in the SEC, but the entire country. The Rebels average 607.2 yards per game and are the only FBS school above the 600-yard mark. Broken down further, Ole Miss averages 390.4 yards through the air and 216.8 yards on the ground per game.

Because of this, South Carolina’s defense will face arguably its biggest challenge of the season on Saturday. And they key to success on that side of the football isn’t just shutting down one dimension of the Rebels’ offense. Rather, it will be coming up with timely tackles and preventing explosive plays from developing.

Given Dart’s propensity to pass the ball, keeping tabs on Harris will be pivotal for the Gamecocks’ secondary. It shouldn’t put too much attention on the senior wideout, though. Dart has multiple weapons – including former South Carolina pass-catcher Juice Wells – at his disposal. As a result, the Gamecocks should place emphasis on covering all Dart’s options.

On the defensive side of the football, the Rebels are stout against the run. Ole Miss has allowed just 46.2 yards per game on the ground to opponents. If Rocket Sanders and the Gamecocks’ corps of running backs struggle to get some tempo going, South Carolina will have to rely on LaNorris Sellers’ arm to generate big plays.

The Rebels also have one of the most disruptive pass rushes in the nation. Ole Miss has the most tackles for loss (53) of any team at the FBS level and is tied for fourth in sacks (18), which means the Gamecocks’ offensive line will have to put up a strong performance to help keep plays alive.

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