Ole Miss Football: Game-by-game predictions for Rebels in 2017
This game should be interesting to say the least. When it comes to LSU and Ole Miss, all bets are off as these two teams have a long standing rivalry. What will make this game even more important for both teams, is that it is the first trip back to Oxford, as a head coach, for LSU coach Ed Orgeron. Orgeron coached the Rebels from 2005-2007. Needless to say, Ole Miss fans will be welcoming their old head coach with a lot of angst.
While Orgeron has promised a more wide open offense than Tiger fans saw under Les Miles, the Tigers still have one of the best running backs in the country in Derrius Guice. So, with that in mind, the way for the Rebels to beat LSU, is to contain Guice. Much in the same vein that win they contained Leonard Fournette (2015) they won. And when they didn’t contain him (2016), they lost.
LSU should have a strong defense, as always. Which puts the pressure on the offense to produce in this game. The run game, as well as Patterson’s dual threat ability will be the key. Ole Miss couldn’t get much of anything going on the ground last year against LSU; they have to be more multi-dimensional if they’re going to win this game this year.
I could easily say Ole Miss was going to lose this game but they tend to do really well against LSU when the Rebels have nothing to play for. I also don’t see them dropping a game with the former head coach on the other sideline. Rebels win.