#2 Alabama Crimson Tide (6-0, 3-0 SEC) vs. Mississippi Rebels (2-3, 0-2 SEC)
The SEC West division is a two-horse race. If LSU has a manageable game this week in travelling to Tennessee to play the hobbled Volunteers, then the other top dog – the Alabama Crimson Tide – have an even easier task ahead of them in dispatching the Ole Miss Rebels.
Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, Oxford MS
Saturday, Oct. 15, 6:00 pm EST
NCAA Odds from Sportsbook.com:
MoneyLine: OFF
Spread: Alabama -25.5, Ole Miss +25.5
Over/Under: 44
Why sugar-coat it? – the Rebs are not playing strong football in 2011. They don’t do anything particularly well and their best win to date comes against a 2-4 WAC opponent in Fresno State. Ole Miss has been embarrassed by Georgia and Vanderbilt, of all teams, and are winless in conference play. The Rebels lost their strongest offensive weapon, senior RB Brandon Bolden, to injury and the QB tandem of Zack Stoudt and Randall Mackey have been uninspiring. So far at least, it has been another season to forget in Oxford, for a program that hasn’t had much to get pumped about since legendary QB Eli Manning left for the pros years ago.
On the absolute other end of the spectrum, Alabama has looked almost flawless. The Tide are ranked in the Top 25 in basically every major category except for passing, and even their aerial attack is in decent stead under the purview of sophomore A.J. McCarron (1,156 yards, 8-2 TD/INT ratio). The Tide defense looks as good as any college football teams not named LSU and the running game is spearheaded by Trent Richardson, who could make the jump to the NFL this instant and not look out of place. Backup RB Eddie Lacy is also excellent, though he is hobbled with a turf toe injury; a fact made superfluous because Richardson can be a workhorse.
The Tide will be able to rip off big gainers on the ground against Ole Miss, the Tide will move the chains aerially against Ole Miss, the Tide will generate turnovers and harass whoever is under center for Ole Miss. It simply will not be a very pleasant day in northern Mississippi. Am I being too glass-half-empty for the Rebels in this one? Let’s think about it another way: last week, Alabama goose-egged the team (Vanderbilt, 34-0) that earlier in the year defeated Ole Miss 30-7. Was it an uncharacteristically good game out of Vandy and an uncharacteristically bad game out of Ole Miss? Probably. But it’s still telling and really pathetic. [soliloquy id=”82219″]
Just to put the cherry on top of what will probably be a telling Alabama romp, Ole Miss will be without starting center A.J. Hawkins, who is suspended. The Rebs will also miss return specialist Philander Moore and rotation offensive guard Alex Washington, all benched for “breaking team rules.”
Believe it or not, there are a couple of flickering bright spots on this Mississippi football team. Freshman WR Donte Moncrief is averaging 20.7 yards per catch (though he only has 10 receptions to date) so if he can somehow burn the ’Bama secondary and put the Rebels in for a long TD, it might get the crowd into it. You have to celebrate the small victories when you’ve had a tough season like Ole Miss has so far.
The road doesn’t get any easier for the Rebels in the future, either. Ranked SEC West foes Arkansas and Auburn are the next on the slate after the clash with the Crimson Tide. Ole Miss probably needs a coaching change and some new recruits to make an impact and it won’t happen overnight.
I could lie to you and say that the Rebels have a chance of pulling an upset, but I just wouldn’t be doing my job. This game shouldn’t be close.
Score Prediction: Alabama 42, Ole Miss 10
Over/Under Prediction: 52
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