No. 7 Ole Miss and LSU square off Saturday (2:30 p.m., CBS) in Tiger Stadium in a critical Southeastern Conference contest.
The Rebels are 7-0 overall and 3-0 in the SEC while the Tigers are 5-2, 3-1. To preview the game, RebelGrove.com publisher Neal McCready and TigerDetails.com columnist Ron Higgins exchanged questions and answers about Ole Miss and LSU.
Neal McCready: 1. LSU was blown out at home versus Tennessee and then bounced back with a strong performance at Florida. There was much reaction to both outcomes. Are we making too much of one or both games or did LSU discover something Saturday night at The Swamp?
Ron Higgins: The most disappointing element of the 40-13 loss to Tennessee is LSU put itself quickly in a 10-0 hole due to special team mistakes that have haunted the Tigers in nearly every game all season. Against the Vols in a loud and hyped Tiger Stadium, LSU fumbled the opening kickoff, Tennessee’s offense scored off the turnover. The Vols had almost a 50-yard return of LSU’s first punt and got a field goal. The rest of the game, LSU played like it was waiting for something bad to happen. Tennessee’s defense, sensing LSU QB Jayden Daniels’ reluctance to throw the ball downfield, packed the line of scrimmage and stuffed the Tigers’ rushing game. Lousy communication among LSU’s DBs resulted in Tennessee B Hendon Hooker getting what he wanted and when he wanted it.
What LSU discovered in Florida is its offense can operate at peak efficiency when Daniels takes risks, fits balls through small windows and gives his receivers chances to make plays.
Neal McCready 2. Along those lines, Jayden Daniels looked like he was more comfortable throwing against Florida than he has looked all year. Specifically, it looked like he was connecting with Kayshon Boutte finally. Did the Tigers find something or was that a by-product of Florida's defensive struggles?
Ron Higgins: Brian Kelly has repeatedly preached to Daniels to not hold the ball too long and wait for receivers to become open. Daniels had such a phobia about committing turnovers that he refused to throw to tightly covered receivers and trusted they would make plays. Daniels clinged too tightly to his safety net – his running ability and speed – because he would only throw to receivers who were wide open.
Daniels and Boutte finally got on the same page, and it seemed Daniels finally blossomed. He completed 23 (to nine different receivers) of 32 passes for 349 yards and three TDs and added 44 rushing yards and three TDs. He hit 8 of 9 for 173 passing yards on third downs with six of his third-down completions for first downs.
Neal McCready: 3. As Brian Kelly referenced on Monday, Lane Kiffin teams take what opposing defenses give them. Against Vanderbilt, the Rebels were effective via the passing game. Against Auburn, it was a run-oriented attack. What strategy do you foresee LSU implementing against Ole Miss' offense on Saturday? Do they try to take away the run or do they focus on limiting big plays in the passing game?
Ron Higgins: I think LSU knows it must stop the Ole Miss run game first. Not that it doesn’t respect Jaxson Dart and his various targets of all shapes and sizes, but the Tigers do a much-better job of gang-tackling in confined spaces rather than the open field.
LSU’s defense has been most effective this season when it gives quarterbacks pre-snap looks and then changes to a different defense as the ball is snapped.
Neal McCready: 4. Ole Miss is pretty banged up after seven straight games. I suspect LSU is in a similar predicament. What can you tell me about the Tigers' health entering Saturday's game?
Ron Higgins: Starting offensive guard Garrett Dellinger is still sidelined with an MCL sprain. DBs Sage Ryan and Seyvn Banks are in neck injury protocols. Running back Armoni Goodwin may return this week after missing several games with a hamstring injury.
Neal McCready: 5. Las Vegas thinks this is a very close game. Computer simulations basically have it dead even. How do you see it playing out?
Ron Higgins: Small details will prove to be the difference in this game. LSU has the worst special teams I’ve seen in my 44 years as a sportswriter. It’s so bad it shouldn’t even drop anybody deep to field a punt. The Tigers would be better off allowing teams to punt to an open field and letting it roll.
Ole Miss wins 30-27.
Ron Higgins: 1. Considering the Rebels’ stiffest test was Kentucky, are there lingering doubts that Ole Miss is as good as its No. 7 ranking? Will a road win at LSU validate that ranking?
Neal McCready: In short, yes. Kentucky is very good, and Will Levis is a future pro, and that was a very nice win, but sure, it’s more than fair to wonder if Ole Miss is a product of its schedule more than it is a product of its collective talents.
The Rebels trailed Vanderbilt at the half and then led Auburn, 21-0, before letting the Tigers back into the game.
In many ways, the schedule starts now. With all due respect to Georgia Tech and Vanderbilt, this is the first road test. LSU is talented. Brian Kelly’s teams always improve as the season goes on. So yes, a win in Baton Rouge would validate a lot of things. More importantly, it would move Ole Miss closer to a potential date with destiny in a few weeks against Alabama. Like LSU, Ole Miss controls its own destiny in the SEC West. At the end of the day, that’s what Saturday is about.
Ron Higgins: 2. What is the genius of Lane Kiffin that has lifted Ole Miss to the consistency of possibly having two back-to-back 10 wins or more seasons for the first time since 1959/1960?
Neal McCready: It’s fascinating, really. People get so focused on his social media and his personality, but Ole Miss is winning right now for a few reasons.
First, Kiffin took so much from his three years with Nick Saban. He’s running a disciplined, focused program. Second, he’s an offensive genius, a guy who puts together a brilliant offensive identity and plan each week. He builds around his players and takes what defenses give. Third, he’s mastered the transfer portal and built a roster that comes close to maximizes the program’s potential — at least at this point. Kiffin has Ole Miss at 18-3 in its last 21 games. Only Georgia and Michigan are better, while Alabama, Oklahoma State and Ohio State have the same mark. That’s rarified air and he deserved the overwhelming majority of the credit for it.
Ron Higgins: 3. What has been the most surprising element about the 2022 Rebels? The killer rushing attack? The vastly improved defense featuring the second-best sacks total in the SEC?
Neal McCready: That’s interesting. I think most expected Ole Miss’ rushing attack would be potent, though I think the expectation was it would be SMU transfer Ulysses Bentley IV — and not freshman Quinshon Judkins — who was complementing Zach Evans like this. Judkins is a dynamic running back, a future star in the league.
The defense has struggled a bit in recent weeks, and that’s created some concern around the program and in the fan base. For Ole Miss to keep this season unblemished, it has to tackle better and do a better job of containing a mobile quarterback. Again, Saturday is a real test, and no unit is under the microscope more than the defensive line.
Ron Higgins: 4. Jaxson Dart had a tough QB act to follow in Matt Corral. What does Dart give Ole Miss that Corral didn’t and vice-versa?
Neal McCready: They’re actually pretty similar players. Corral has a better overall arm, but they’re both tough, hard-nosed, ultra competitive kids who can hurt defenses with their feet and make big throws when they’re needed. Corral had that deep-throw capability that we really haven’t seen from Dart yet. Corral could just throw it past everyone and take the top off a defense. Dart has a good arm but he hasn’t shown it to be great yet. He has gotten better week to week, however, and he’s a better decision-maker at 19 than Corral was at this same stage in his career.
Ron Higgins: 5. Seven games into the season, what part of the Ole Miss team has to raise its play for this squad to win the West and earn the Rebels’ first championship game appearance?
Neal McCready: Ole Miss just has to put it together and then maintain it for four quarters. It sounds cliche, I know, but it’s true. This team has shown flashes of greatness. It’s also endured periods of mediocrity.
One week, the offense is rolling but the defense struggles. Another week, the defense is dominant but the offense is stagnant.
If the Rebels put it together and have one of those days when both sides are clicking, this team has a very high ceiling. However, if they continue to play with fire, something they’ve done in the past two weeks against Vanderbilt and Auburn, they’re likely going to get burned soon.
It’s why the next few weeks are really interesting. Ole Miss could go 11-1 or even 12-0 if it lives up to its potential, stays healthy and cleans up some tackling issues. On the other hand, it could end up 8-4 (or even 7-5, I suppose) if it doesn’t. Everything is on the table.
