Ole Miss tops Auburn, one step closer to SEC West showdown with LSU

The No 19 Ole Miss Rebels can’t afford another SEC loss. The Auburn Tigers had nothing to lose, playing at home, and trying to just concentrate on becoming bowl eligible. The Rebels found a way to get what they needed in a 27-19 win on the Plains in Auburn.

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Ole Miss is playing the remainder of this season with their backs to the wall. Another loss in conference play and they can probably kiss any hope of an SEC title shot goodbye, and even running the table won’t guarantee them a spot in the College Football Playoff.

Some teams shrink from the challenge when faced with must-win games, but against an Auburn team who could pull out any and all stops to secure a win, Hugh Freeze’s Rebels dug deep and held off the Tigers in a game that was much closer than it probably should have been.

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A win is a win (as is so often said) but the problem for the Rebels with this win over a fairly hapless Auburn team is that the regression from the early season firestorm they had on offense has continued, and quarterback Chad Kelly looks more and more human was teams get more film on him.

Kelly went 33 of 51 for 381 yards and two touchdowns.

But it was the two interceptions against a defense that has only picked off six passes all season that were concerning, and his receivers helped him on some passes that were off the mark throughout the game. Ole Miss also rushed the ball for 156 yards, but couldn’t punch through on some short-yardage situations – strange to grasp with the return of Laremy Tunsil to the offensive line.

On defense, the Ole Miss Land Sharks were circling, but it was against an Auburn offense who ranks 71st in scoring offense and 94th in total offense in the nation.

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Is Ole Miss tired? They certainly look it, and that’s not surprising considering they are in the middle of a run of 10 straight weeks without an off week, including physically punishing games against Alabama, Vanderbilt and Memphis, with Arkansas coming next week.

The Rebels will get a bye week before welcoming LSU to Oxford in what could be a possible de facto Western Division championship game, but surviving to that week will be the trick.