For the past year, Alabama has been eyeing this game against Ole Miss. Last season, Alabama lost 23-17 to the Rebels at The Grove. It was one of the biggest upsets in Ole Miss history.
This season, the Crimson Tide get the Rebels at Tuscaloosa in a Saturday night prime time matchup. The game will feature two new quarterbacks as Blake Sims and Bo Wallace graduated over the offseason. Chad Kelly is the new quarterback for Ole Miss. After a rocky time at Clemson, he transferred to Oxford.
Although Cooper Bateman has played in both games, the starting quarterback position appears to be Jacob Coker’s to lose. Ole Miss has one of the best defenses in the country and will be the best defense Coker has faced.
Here are all the details about Saturday night’s SEC showdown:
The Basics
Who:
No. 15 Ole Miss Rebels vs. No. 2 Alabama Crimson Tide
When:
Saturday, September 19th at 9:15 PM ET/8:15 PM CT
Channel:
ESPN
Where:
Bryant-Denny Stadium; Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Line:
Alabama by 8.5 (Line is according to OddsShark and is subject to change.)
Last Meeting:
Ole Miss upset Alabama 23-17 last season in Oxford.
Ole Miss Preview
Ole Miss has been dominant this season but their opponents have not exactly been top caliber. They defeated UT Martin 76-3 the first week and Fresno State 73-21. The offense has looked explosive and the defense has been dominant. However, Saturday night in Tuscaloosa will be the Rebels first true test of the season.
New quarterback Chad Kelly is completing 72 percent of his passes. Kelly has already passed for 552 yards and six touchdowns this season. He will be put to the test Saturday night under the lights in Tuscaloosa.
Alabama Preview
So far, so good for the Crimson Tide. They played well in the opener against a quality Wisconsin team and took care of business last week against Middle Tennessee State. Running back Derrick Henry continues to power the Alabama offense. Henry has 243 rushing yards, six touchdowns and is averaging 7.8 yards per carry.
Henry and the Alabama offense will face a difficult Ole Miss front seven. The Crimson Tide have been looking ahead for redemption after the Rebels comeback victory last season.
Heavy’s Pick
Ole Miss 24, Alabama 21
Ole Miss was the best team in the country last season before injuries derailed the second half of their season. Alabama is good but not to the level they have been in years past. Ole Miss has been building their team through top recruiting classes and it is paying off on the field. Look for the Ole Miss defense to harass new quarterback Jacob Coker into a turnover filled game, and Chad Kelly to have another solid performance. The Rebels pull off the upset for the second straight season.
