South Alabama @ Mississippi preview

Ole Miss can take the next major step in moving past a tumultuous stretch when it hosts South Alabama on Saturday in the opener for both teams. Matt Luke, a center with the Rebels in the 1990s, will make his debut as interim head coach for a program that fired Hugh Freeze amid controversy this summer before a self-imposed postseason ban stemming from several NCAA allegations.

Luke inherits a team that finished below .500 last year for the first time since 2011 and was picked by the media to finish last in the SEC West, but that has not hindered his enthusiasm. "I've got to control my emotions and be a very efficient and organized head coach," Luke - who spent several years as an assistant under Freeze and others - told reporters. "That's going to be one of my biggest challenges, but I'm excited and prepared for it." He'll need to be prepared to avoid a letdown against the Jaguars, who upset Mississippi State to begin the 2016 season and were selected by Sun Belt coaches to finish fourth in the 12-team league. After visiting Oxford, South Alabama has an abbreviated week before hosting No. 11 Oklahoma State the following Friday.

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPNU. LINE: Ole Miss -24

ABOUT SOUTH ALABAMA (2016: 6-7): The player to watch on the offensive side is senior running back Xavier Johnson, who has 2,225 yards on the ground and 18 touchdowns in his career. Dallas Davis was solid under center in the upset of the Bulldogs but he had offseason surgery on his throwing shoulder and will open the year backing up Cole Garvin, who led the team to a big win over a good San Diego State squad last year. "Cole had a lights-out camp, his arm strength is there, he has been very accurate and staying away from the 'Brett Favre plays' as they say where he was winging it a little bit," coach Joey Jones told reporters. "He has really honed in on what the coaches have asked him to do."

ABOUT OLE MISS (2016: 5-7): Shea Patterson stepped into the quarterback job when Chad Kelly suffered a season-ending injury late last year and was solid through three starts, throwing for 880 yards and six touchdowns. Patterson will work behind a veteran line that is the strength of the squad, with two players - Greg Little and Javon Patterson - making the preseason All-SEC third team. Luke will hope for more from a defense that ranked last in the SEC with 34 points allowed and senior defensive end Marquis Haynes - who needs 2 1/2 sacks to become the school's all-time leader - is the anchor.

EXTRA POINTS

1. This marks the first meeting between the schools.

2. Rebels K Gary Wunderlich hit 22-of-23 field goals last year (his lone miss was a 55-yard attempt) and was a preseason third-team All-SEC selection.

3. Johnson was held to minus-6 yards on seven carries in the upset win over Mississippi State last year.

PREDICTION: Ole Miss 40, South Alabama 21