Oct 31, 2015; Auburn, AL, USA; Mississippi Rebels quarterback Chad Kelly (10) passes the ball during the fourth quarter against the Auburn Tigers at Jordan Hare Stadium. Mississippi won 27-19. Mandatory Credit: Shanna Lockwood-USA TODAY Sports
OXFORD, Miss. — Ole Miss won its first road game since mid-September last week against Auburn, keeping the Rebels in control of their destiny in the SEC West Division as the calendar turns to November.
But the Rebels have a little added motivation this week.
Up next for Ole Miss (7-2, 4-1 SEC) is Arkansas, a team that authoritatively ended any chance the Rebels had of climbing back in the division race a season ago with a 30-0 shellacking in Fayetteville, Ark. The Razorbacks dominated from the start, creating four turnovers on that rainy afternoon in the Ozarks nearly a year ago to notch just their second win in their last 19 SEC games and shut Ole Miss out for just the second time in head coach Hugh Freeze’s tenure.
Arkansas (4-4, 2-2) will make the return to trip to Oxford on Saturday, and players and coaches alike can’t wait for the Razorbacks to arrive.
“You’re a competitor, and I’m an offensive coach,” Freeze said. “Trust me, when we were able to turn our attention away from Auburn, (last year’s game against Arkansas) was on my mind. I like getting another shot at that. That motivates me.”
But Ole Miss has much more at stake than revenge.
A team looking like anything but an SEC contender after a 37-24 loss to Memphis on Oct. 17 — its second setback in three weeks — Ole Miss has rebounded with two straight league wins to keep pace with LSU and Alabama in the West. Should the Rebels win their final three games against Arkansas, LSU and Mississippi State, they’ll play in the SEC Championship Game for the first time in school history.
“I really don’t look at things as revenge, but we always look at it as trying to get a W,” safety Trae Elston said. “That’s what we’re focused on.”
Some players admitted the Rebels took a struggling Arkansas team lightly last season, but the Razorbacks and their new-found offensive balance have Ole Miss’ full attention this time around. Senior quarterback Brandon Allen (15 TD passes, five interceptions) is tops in the SEC in efficiency and ranks third in the league in passing (254 yards per game) and total offense (268 yards per game), making it essential for teams to not solely focus on Alex Collins and the Razorbacks’ bruising running game if they want to win against Arkansas.
And Ole Miss has more than one reason to do that on Saturday.
“Just knowing that we can’t afford to sleep on anybody this year and just the outcome of last year’s game, just kind of get them in our house and get a rematch with them, last year’s loss is definitely in the back of our minds a little bit this week,” tight end Evan Engram said.
NOTES, QUOTES
PLAYERS TO WATCH
–WR Laquon Treadwell isn’t leaving much doubt that he’s completely healthy after the gruesome leg injury he suffered a season ago. The 6-foot-2, 210-pound junior recorded his fourth straight 100-yard game with a seven-catch, 114-yard performance against Auburn, including a 21-yard touchdown grab in the fourth quarter for the final margin with Auburn CB Carlton Davis draped all over him. He’s a physical specimen that’s open even when he’s not and will likely be the first wideout taken in next year’s NFL draft.
–QB Chad Kelly has an argument that he’s the best signal-caller in the SEC. The junior college transfer continues to lead the league in passing yards and total offense after another 300-yard day against Auburn. He’s also completing 65 percent of his passes, and not a lot of them are underneath throws with Kelly averaging more than 13 yards a completion. He’s thrown 20 touchdowns and also taken some chances with 12 interceptions, but he’s given this offense the big-play dimension through the air it sorely lacked the first three years of Freeze’s tenure.
–Ole Miss’ secondary has benefited from the consistent pressure created from the defensive front, led by DE Marquis Haynes. The sophomore lived in the opponent’s backfield for the second straight week, recording his second straight multi-sack game against Auburn and also notching three tackles for loss. Haynes has already matched his 7.5 sacks from a season ago and leads the Rebels with 11 tackles for loss.
–For the second straight week, Ole Miss had some success running the ball. It’s no coincidence Laremy Tunsil was on the field both times. Tunsil got his most extensive playing time of the season with 93 snaps against Auburn, caving in the left side of Auburn’s defensive line on multiple occasions to create spacious running lanes. The All-American looks to be in midseason form after just two games of action following a seven-game suspension handed down by the NCAA for impermissible benefits.
SERIES HISTORY: Arkansas leads Mississippi 32-28-1. The Razorbacks blanked Ole Miss, 30-0, in last year’s meeting in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
QUOTE TO NOTE: “It’s definitely a nice little fire under our butts about this week. Last year, we kind of slept on Arkansas a little bit.” — Tight end Evan Engram, on if last year’s loss to Arkansas is motivation for this season’s matchup.
