OXFORD -- A year ago at this time, Dayton Wade was back home in Georgia, searching for reasons to remain hopeful.

Wade is an ebullient person, always smiling, a bundle of energy who always "stays ready," but last October, his positivity was being tested.

"It definitely feels surreal," Wade said.

A year ago, to be precise, Wade was back in Atlanta, back in his home in the south side of Georgia's capital city. He was spending time with his brother, wondering if he was ever going to play football again.

He was taking classes online, training on his own time and waiting for his next opportunity.

"I did not see this," Wade said.

This, of course, is a real role on an Ole Miss team that is now 7-0 overall and 3-0 in the Southeastern Conference entering Saturday's game at LSU (5-2, 3-1). The Rebels are ranked No. 7 nationally, and it's LSU hoping to play spoiler when CBS fires the cameras up for a 2:30 p.m. kickoff in Tiger Stadium.

Wade, who began his career at Western Kentucky, has seven catches for 112 yards and a touchdown, one he scored this past Saturday against Auburn when he found himself "butt naked" behind the Tigers' defensive secondary.

Just months ago, Wade was committed to another school -- he declined to name it Monday -- and was on the cusp of taking a visit there when his offer was rescinded.

"That hurt me a lot," Wade said. "When that happened, I did feel a sense of self-destruction."

He turned to his older brother, Gabe, a recording artist in Atlanta. His brother would have nothing to do with the negative thoughts. Dayton listened, and soon thereafter, he was back on the football grind, confident he'd find a home.

"We're really on the same equilibrium," Wade said. "We're really on the same plane mentally"

His former teammate at Western Kentucky, Jahcour Pearson, played a big role on Ole Miss' 2021 team, one that went 10-3 and advanced to the Sugar Bowl. Pearson pushed Wade to walk on at Ole Miss, and Wade admired Pearson so much that he followed the advice.

Pearson was in town Saturday, seeing Wade play a major role in the Rebels' 48-34 win over Auburn.

"He was definitely excited for me," Wade said. "He's seen me from the ground up. We're real tight. We're real, real tight."

Wade said Monday he "can't wait" for Saturday's game in Tiger Stadium, admitting that while he loves home games, he likes away games better.

"You're either going to shrivel into a ball or rise to the occasion," Wade said. "I like to feed off that energy. I'm really looking forward. It's going to be a very hostile environment. ...Every week, we have a point to prove."