Campus Clash
(7) Kentucky Wildcats at (14) Ole Miss Rebels
Kentucky: I thought this was only a basketball program. One of the bluebloods in the sport. Not at all! The football program has truly come on the last few years and I don’t see them letting go anytime soon. They grabbed my attention when they beat the Florida Gators in week 2 and what made that win more impressive was it came in Gainesville, that’s a tough place to play. Outside of that win, nothing else has stood out to me. Against the Northern Illinois Wildcats, they squeaked out a win to remain undefeated. This Kentucky Wildcats offense is anchored by a star Quarterback named Will Levis. He’s one of the best Quarterbacks in the nation with such a strong arm to push the football down the field. We hear about all the other elite Quarterbacks in college football, make sure you mention this guy as well. He’s a veteran-savvy guy that can make all the passes. The Wildcats can score and put the ball in the endzone for six. On the other side, they can play defense with the best of them. In the young season, they’ve been one of the best scoring units in the country giving up 13 points per game. If you had told me they’d be ranked 7th in the AP Coaches Poll, I’d look at you like you were crazy. They’ll battle a tough Ole Miss team on Saturday.
Ole Miss: They have been a handful for some teams this year. It’s understandable to see why they would fly under the radar, especially with the conference they play in. You’re a member of the SEC and a majority of the time, it’s Alabama this, Georgia that, Texas A&M is coming and LSU even enters the conversation (when they’re good). This makes total sense. Watching them this year, they’ve been a handful for their opponents. Lane Kiffin has his Ole Miss Rebels ranked in the top 25 in total offense (496.7 yards per contest) and they’re also ranked in the top 25 on the defensive side of the football (264 yards per game). This is a high-octane offense that can light up the scoreboard. Replacing Matt Corral wouldn’t be easy. We know that. However, the Quarterback they have under center now has made a nice name for himself. His name is Jaxson Dart. Jaxson does just that, throws darts! (pun intended). He’s a transfer from USC and I’m happy to see him getting his chance to start. He’s been magical under Kiffin’s tutelage. This Rebels team is one of the more balanced groups in the nation because of how they score consistently on offense and they prevent people from moving the football down the field on the defensive side. On Saturday, they’ll welcome the Wildcats of Kentucky to town.
Kentucky X-Factor: Chris Rodriguez– Chris is expected to make his season debut after serving a suspension since the beginning of the season. Last season, he contributed to 9 of Kentucky’s 27 rushing touchdowns. Having Chris back will provide balance to this offense. The Kentucky running game has struggled this year without him. 2.4 yards per carry and 82 yards rushing per game. Isn’t it amazing how 1 guy can make all the difference?
Ole Miss X-Factor: Quinshon Judkins– This kid is a stud. Quinshon is such a powerful running back. Each time he’s fed that football, he lowers his shoulder and initiates that contact. People always say they want to see him be more elusive in the open field, but remember, he’s only a freshman and that will come with time. He’s a physical runner that’s always looking to get up the field with that downhill style of running. Quinshon reminds me so much of Mark Ingram.
Final Thoughts: There’s nothing like the good old SEC! These 2 teams have won in different ways. Now, they’ll do a battle against 1 another. The Rebels are a run-first team after all of the turnover from last season and they don’t hide from their identity. They are ranked 4th in the nation with 280 yards per game. Kentucky’s weakness is stopping the run so look for Ole Miss to exploit that early on. The battle that will determine the outcome of this game is this Wildcats offensive line which is one of the best in the conference against a tough front 7 of the rebels. Also, the Wildcats’ offensive line gave up 5 sacks to Northern Illinois. I expect Ole Miss to move those chains consistently and keep Levis and company on the sidelines.
Prediction: Ole Miss 32, Kentucky 27
