Getty Head coach Lane Kiffin and the Mississippi Rebels take on Mercer in the 2023 season opener.
The No. 22 Ole Miss Rebels (0-0) host the Mercer Bears (1-0) at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on Saturday, September 2.
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The game isn’t on regular TV, but it will stream live on SEC Network+ (this can be watched on the ESPN app or website if you have a cable package or streaming service that includes SEC Network), which you can watch for free with FuboTV or DirecTV Stream.
Here’s how:
FuboTV
You can watch SEC Network+ with a subscription to FuboTV. You’ll need both the main channel package and the “Sports Plus” add-on, but both can be included with your free seven-day trial:
Once signed up for FuboTV, you can watch Mercer vs Ole Miss live on the ESPN app (not the FuboTV app) or ESPN.com.
You’ll need to sign in to a cable provider to watch this way, but you can use your Fubo credentials to do that.
DirecTV Stream
DirecTV Stream has four different channel packages: “Entertainment,” “Choice,” “Ultimate” and “Premier.” You ‘ll need “Choice” or above to watch SEC Network+, but you can pick any package and any add-on you want with your free five-day trial:
Once signed up for DirecTV Stream, you can watch Mercer vs Ole Miss live on the ESPN app (not the DirecTV Stream app) or ESPN.com.
You’ll need to sign in to a cable provider to watch this way, but you can use your DirecTV Stream credentials to do that.
ESPN+
If you’ve used up all your free trials for other streaming services, ESPN+ is the cheapest way to watch this game, as every game that is on SEC Network+ (which is different from the regular SEC Network TV channel) is also available live on ESPN+:
ESPN+ includes hundreds of college football games in 2023, plus dozens of other live sports, every 30-for-30 documentary and additional original content (both video and written) for $9.99 per month or $99.99 per year (or $13.99 per month for a bundle of all three of ESPN+, Disney+ and Hulu).
Once signed up for ESPN+, you can watch Mercer vs Ole Miss live on the ESPN app or ESPN.com.
Compatible devices for the ESPN app include Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Firestick, Apple TV, Chromecast, PlayStation 4 or 5, Xbox One or Series X/S, any device with Android TV (such as a Sony TV or Nvidia Shield), Samsung Smart TV, Oculus Go, iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet.
Sling TV
Another cheaper option if you’re out of free trials, SEC Network+ is included in Sling TV’s “Sling Orange + Sports Extra” bundle, which is just $31 for your first month:
Once signed up for Sling TV, you can watch Mercer vs Ole Miss live on the ESPN app (not the Sling app) or ESPN.com.
You’ll need to sign in to a cable provider to watch this way, but you can use your Sling credentials to do that.
Mercer vs Ole Miss Preview
The Rebels finished with an overall record of 8-4 last year, going 4-4 in the SEC. On offense, Ole Miss, averaged a solid 33.5 points a game, while allowing 25.5 points per contest on the defensive side.
Heading into the season, Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin has yet to announce which quarterback will start this game. Transfer Spencer Sanders, a four-year starter for Oklahoma State, and incumbent Jaxson Dart have been competing for the job.
Dart threw for 2,974 yards, 20 touchdowns and 11 interceptions last season, while Sanders threw for 2,642 yards, 17 scores and nine picks, also rushing for eight scores. Both young QBs have proven to be solid starters, which is not a bad problem to have if you’re Ole Miss.
“We’ve not made that final decision,” Kiffin said about his team’s QB battle. “We’re very excited about all the guys. As far as the starter, that’s between two people. Both guys played extremely well and made very explosive plays (in a mock game) on Saturday. Managed the offense well. We feel very confident with either of them.”
On the other side, the Bears finished with a 7-4 overall record last season, and are off to a 1-0 start already this season. On offense, Mercer 38.9 points a game last year, but the squad started out slow in its debut against North Alabama last week. The Bears won, 17-7, gaining 194 yards rushing as a team. Mercer QB Carter Peevy went 12-17 for 115 yards and a touchdown in the victory.
A win against an FCS opponent is one thing, but taking on an SEC team is a different behemoth entirely. You can expect the Bears to give it their all despite their underdog status in this one.
“You’ll really get exposed if you’re not fundamentally sound, doing exactly what you’re coached to do when you start playing SEC-level talent,” Bears coach Drew Cronic said. “When we go back and look at the last two years when we played Auburn and we played Alabama, when we do what we’re supposed to do we give ourselves a chance to execute plays. We’ll go over there and throw everything we got at ’em. You never know what’ll happen.”