Ole Miss is back bowling for the first time since 2015 and will face Indiana in the Outback Bowl on January 2 at 11:30 a.m. (CT).
It's the Rebels (4-5) first-ever appearance in the Outback Bowl and first bowl game in Florida since the 1991 Gator Bowl. It's the first bowl game for Ole Miss since the Sugar Bowl win over Oklahoma State to close the 2015 season.
Here are some main storylines for the matchup.
REBS TO FACE FAMILIAR FACES
Indiana head coach Tom Allen was the Ole Miss linebackers coach under Hugh Freeze from 2012-2014. The Rebels led the nation in scoring defense during Allen's final season in Oxford.
Allen left to be the South Florida defensive coordinator and took the same position at Indiana a year later. He was named the Hoosiers head coach following the 2016 regular season. He's 24-21 as a head coach, turning around the program with an eight-win season in 2019 and a 6-1 record in 2020.
Former Ole Miss player and coach Grant Heard is Indiana's co-offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach. Heard played wide receiver for thee Rebels from 1996-2000 and coached receivers from 2012-2016.
Kane Wommack, who was on Ole Miss' staff while his father, Dave, was defensive coordinator, was Indiana's defensive coordinator this season but recently accepted the head coaching job at South Alabama.
Indiana safeties coach Jason Jones was on the Ole Miss defensive staff from 2013-2016.
INDIANA LIKELY TO BE MOTIVATED AFTER SNUB
Indiana won't have to look hard to find motivation for its final game of the season. The Hoosiers were in line to reach the Big Ten title game before the conference changed its rules, which allowed Ohio State to represent its division despite playing just five games.
That decision also played a role in Indiana slipping out of the Access Bowl conversation and falling to the Outback Bowl. Ohio State is the only Big Ten member in a New Year's Six game and Northwestern faces Auburn in the Citrus Bowl.
No. 3 Ohio State beat Indiana 42-35 on Nov. 21.
FORMER REBEL'S SON IS A LEADER FOR INDIANA
Ty Fryfogle earned All-Big Ten honors in 2020, catching 34 passes for 687 yards and seven touchdowns for the Hoosiers. The Lucedale (George County), Miss., native is the first player in Big Ten history to post back-to-back 200-yard receiving games, totaling 200 against Michigan State and 218 against Ohio State.
Fryfogle didn't have any SEC offers out of high school in 2017 but has developed well under Heard. He was named the conference receiver of the year and twice received Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week honors.
Fryfogle's father, Trey, caught 18 total passes for Ole Miss in 2001 and 2002.
REBELS AND HOOSIERS DEALING WITH UNAVAILABLE PLAYERS
Elijah Moore, one of the country's best wide receivers, and tight end Kenny Yeboah both opted out of the season before Ole Miss' regular season finale, a 53-48 loss to LSU. Moore broke the school record for receptions (86) in only eight games and put up 1,193 yards and eight touchdowns. Yeboah had 524 receiving yards and six touchdowns.
There's been no official word about timetables to return, but Ole Miss also lost running back Jerrion Ealy and wide receiver Braylon Sanders to ankle injuries against LSU.
Indiana quarterback Michael Penix, Jr., tore his ACL against Maryland on Nov. 28. Penix had 1,645 passing yards and 14 touchdowns with four interceptions and also rushed for two touchdowns.
Jack Tuttle is 18-for-27 for 161 yards and two touchdowns. In Tuttle's lone start, Indiana beat Wisconsin, 14-6.
