Ole Miss Football: Game-by-game predictions for Rebels in 2017
The last time Ole Miss and UT-Martin played each other was 2015, the first game of Ole Miss QB Chad Kelly’s career with the Rebels. It was a game that the Rebels were never in danger of losing, and showed the capabilities of Kelly at the quarterback position. The game ended with a score of 76-3.
While head coach Matt Luke might not run up the score like that, I would’t expect this game to be a close one by any stretch of the imagination. Ole Miss has way too many talented players to lose to an FCS school, and I say that with all of the respect in the world that I can give UT-Martin. In games such as these, you look for the starters of the FBS school to get a three to four touchdown lead and then let the backups handle the rest. Offense shouldn’t be a problem for the Rebels in this game. It will be more about honing the craft of the defense.
Ole Miss should know a little bit more of where they want/need to be on defense and this game will provide the defensive side of the ball to get more confidence heading into the first true test of the year, which is the road game at Cal in week three.
Expect Ole Miss to get an early lead and then never look back UT-Martin will most likely get some points on the board towards the end when more inexperienced players are on the field for Ole Miss, but they’ll never really threaten the Rebels on the score board.