Alabama Football: Post-Spring game-by-game predictions for 2019

After three seasons worth of hotly contested contests (that resulted in two Ole Miss victories), Alabama has absolutely annihilated the Rebels in the last two meetings. The combined score of the last two matchups is 128-10, with the Crimson Tide bludgeoning the Rebels in Tuscaloosa and Oxford in consecutive seasons.

With Ole Miss dealing with NCAA sanctions, head coach Matt Luke was given a mulligan in his first two seasons in Oxford. The clock starts ticking for him in 2019, and his job has gotten undeniably tougher with all the Rebels must replace from last season.

Ole Miss lost more offensive production than any team in the FBS. Gone is quarterback Jordan Ta’amu, and a trio of talented wide receivers. A.J. Brown, D.K. Metcalf, and DaMarkus Lodge leave some big shoes to fill, and new quarterback Matt Corral, while talented, could use a veteran presence on the outside to help make his transition into the starting gig smoother.

Instead, Ole Miss, under new offensive coordinator Rich Rodriguez, might lean more on senior running back Scottie Phillips, who rushed for 928 yards and 12 touchdowns as a junior. Having a talented running back to shoulder the load is the one luxury for Corral as they break in a new group of receivers and a mostly new offensive line.

Whether or not Ole Miss can scrape out bowl eligibility might depend on what former Colorado head coach Mike MacIntyre can do with one of the nation’s worst defenses from a year ago. There’s some talent on the roster, particularly up front with Benito Jones and Qaadir Sheppard, but with the offense likely taking a decent step backward, they might have to take a significant step forward defensively to even come away with six wins.

Pick: Alabama 55, Ole Miss 10

Record: 5-0 (2-0)