Ole Miss at Florida Preview: Three Key Matchups to Watch

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Sep 19, 2015; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide running back Kenyan Drake (17) fumbles the ball on a kickoff return during the game against the Mississippi Rebels at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports

Ole Miss at Florida Prediction

Florida is off to a terrific start to the Jim McElwain era. Partly because we didn’t know what to expect from the first-year head coach and his young team, and because Tennessee entered the 2015 season with a terrific amount of hype, few expected the Gators to be 4-0 at this point in the season. Should Florida find a way to upset Ole Miss in The Swamp Saturday, they will have earned the right to be seen as a major threat to Georgia in the SEC East (who will have their hands full with Alabama in Athens).

If indeed it happens, playing without Laremy Tunsil for the fifth straight week will be challenging for Ole Miss – especially against the talented Florida front seven. But Fahn Cooper has been solid in Tunsil’s absence at left tackle and was even named SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week for his performance against Vanderbilt. Ole Miss has also proven to be one of the nation’s most explosive offenses without Tunsil – capable of picking up yards both through the air and on the ground.

Sure, Florida will provide a challenge defensively. If healthy, Vernon Hargreaves III has the talent to neutralize fellow future first rounder Laquon Treadwell, but the Rebels have weapons at every position, and the receiving corps that includes Quincy Adeboyejo, Cody Core, Damore’ea Stringfellow, Evan Engram, Markell Pack and DaMarkus Lodge is as deep and talented as any in the SEC. And, while Brian Poole, Jalen Tabor (who missed last week’s game due to suspension), and the rest of the Gators secondary has been solid this season – and the pass rush has been elite – the Rebels are still likely to score 30 points or more.

That means the Florida offense will have to win the game, and the odds of that just don’t look good against the Landshark defense. Even with Tony Conner out, and even with a pass rush that has struggled to get to the quarterback through the first four weeks of the season, the Rebels are just too talented defensively. Expect it to be relatively close, but for Ole Miss to go into Gainesville and come out with a victory.

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