BATON ROUGE – In a series that filled with tradition, great moments and drama, LSU and Ole Miss renew one of the long-standing rivalries in the Southeastern Conference on Saturday when the No. 23 Tigers hosts third-ranked and undefeated Ole Miss in a sold out Tiger Stadium.
Kickoff between the Tigers and Rebels is set for 6:15 p.m. on ESPN. It’s premier game in college football on Saturday as LSU and Ole Miss are one of just two games nationally that features a pair of Top 25 teams. ESPN’s College Gameday is one campus as well bringing more attention (and excitement) to a game that could go a long way in determining college football playoff participants.
LSU, winners of two straight, is playing its best football of the season after back-to-back wins over Florida and Kentucky. The Tigers are now 6-2 overall and remain in the SEC Western Division race with a 2-2 league mark.
At 7-0, Ole Miss is off to its best start since the 1962 season when the Rebels finished 10-0 and claimed a mythical national title. The Rebels, who are coming off a 34-3 win over Tennessee last week in Oxford, are 4-0 in league play.
LSU has won three of four and nine of the last 11 against the Rebels. A year ago, Ole Miss jumped out to a 17-0 lead and then held on to upset the sixth-ranked Tigers with a 41-yard field goal with two seconds left, 27-24, in Oxford. Ole Miss’ last win in Tiger Stadium came in 2008 by a 31-13 margin.
Last year’s last-second field goal by Ole Miss to beat LSU was one of what has been many drama-filled moments in this 102-game rivalry. Some of the classic moments include Billy Cannon’s 1959 Halloween Night punt return to lead LSU past Ole Miss, 7-3; Doug Moreau’s catch of a two-point conversion with just over there minutes left lift the Tigers to an 11-10 win in 1964; Bert Jones’ last-second TD pass to Brad Davis to give LSU a 17-16 win in 1972.
“There’s some great history between these two teams,” LSU coach Les Miles said of the LSU-Ole Miss series. “The style of a big rivalry against a highly-ranked opponent, games like this are the reason you come to LSU.
“We would expect that Tiger Stadium would be unusually loud and filled to capacity. It’s going to be a great setting and Tiger Stadium is going to be a magical place. There’s nothing like a Saturday Night in Death Valley.”
After starting 0-2 in league play, the Tigers have reeled off two straight wins over SEC Eastern Division foes and climbed back into the Top 25 this week. LSU is playing is best all-around football of the season as a week ago, the Tiger defense limited a high-powered Kentucky offense to season lows for points (3), total yards (217), rushing yards (71) and passing yards (146).
The Tigers go into the Ole Miss game leading the SEC and ranked No. 4 in the nation in pass defense allowing only 156.2 yards per game. Overall, LSU is limiting opponents to 17.0 points and 318.8 total yards per game, both ranking among the top four in the rugged SEC.
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“We’re improving on defense,” Miles said. “We are playing better on the defensive line and we making progress at linebacker. I think Kendell Beckwith is playing with more confidence and is more comfortable (at middle linebacker).”
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GameDay Info #24 LSU (6-2, 2-2 SEC) vs. #3 Ole Miss (7-0, 4-0 SEC) Saturday, Oct. 25 GameDay Forecast Times of Interest 8-11 a.m. 4:25 p.m. In-Game Recognitions: Pregame 1st Quarter: 2nd Quarter: Halftime: Third Quarter: * Blakeway Panoramas will be capturing stadium panoramic photos from the photo deck on the west side SEC Network Replay |
Beckwith, who will be making just his third career start against Ole Miss, along with nickel back Jamal Adams, have emerged in the last three weeks as key components for the Tiger defense. Beckwith is coming off a career-best nine tackles last week against Kentucky, while Adams had eight tackles and sack in the LSU victory.
Linebacker Kwon Alexander leads the Tigers with 49 tackles, including 3.5 for losses. Defensive end Danielle Hunter has 46 tackles, a team-best 8.0 tackles for loss and a sack to his credit.
The Tiger defense will be tested by one of the top quarterbacks in the SEC in Ole Miss senior Bo Wallace, who ranks second in the SEC in passing yards (271.3) and touchdowns (17). Ole Miss also has one of the top receivers in the league in Laquon Treadwell who has caught 34 passes for 458 yards and four scores.
As a unit, the Ole Miss offense is averaging 35.4 points and 433.3 yards per game.
“We are going to have to do the things that we do,” Miles said of defending Ole Miss. “We are going to have to pressure the quarterback and we are going to have to do a good job in coverage. But at the same time, we have to be wary of the run. We are looking forward to the challenge.”
The Ole Miss defense presents a whole set of other challenges for the LSU offense as the Rebels are one of the best all-around units in the college football. In seven games, Ole Miss has only allowed seven touchdowns, including only three through the air.
The Rebels are first in the nation in scoring defense at just 10.2 points per game. Ole Miss is also first nationally in interceptions with 15, three of which have been returned for touchdowns.
“The Ole Miss defense is as good a group as we will face,” Miles said. “They are talented up front with linebackers that can run. They have a very good scheme that makes it very difficult to move the ball against.”
LSU will counter the Ole Miss defense with a run-oriented offense that features a host of running backs led by true freshman Leonard Fournette (544 yards, 7 TDs) and senior Terrence Magee (344 yards, 3 TDs). Fournette had a career-best 140 yards and two TDs in the win over Florida two weeks ago, while last week Magee broke loose for 127 yards and a pair of scores.
LSU can also turn to senior Kenny Hilliard (353 yards, 6 TDs) and true freshman Darrel Williams (249 yards, 3 TDs) in the running game. LSU is among the league leaders with 220.9 rushing yards per game.
“We have four backs that we can turn to,” Miles said of the running game. “When you have healthy, fresh backs, it gives our offense the best opportunity to move the football and be successful.”
When the Tigers go to the air, sophomore quarterback Anthony Jennings has been more than capable, completing 50 percent of his passes (64-of-128) for 1,048 yards and seven scores. Jennings, who is 7-1 as LSU’s starting quarterback, has led the Tigers to a pair of fourth quarter comebacks this year.
Jennings’ top target is that of sophomore Travin Dural, who leads the nation with 25.6 yards per catch. Dural, a first-year starter, has 26 receptions for 665 yards and seven touchdowns.
Special teams is also a strength for the Tigers as sophomore Colby Delahoussaye has connected on all seven of his field goal attempts this year and he’s 20-of-21 for his career making him LSU’s career percentage leader.
Jamie Keehn leads an LSU punt team that ranks No. 3 in the SEC in net punting with a 41.4 average. Keehn is averaging 45.5 yards on his 48 punts this year.
“We have had a lot of energy in practice this week,” Miles said. “We have prepared well. This team is excited about the opportunity to play third-ranked Ole Miss. It’s going to be a great atmosphere.”