Mississippi @ Vanderbilt preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 18, 2010 ) Vanderbilt 28, Mississippi 14

THE STORY: Vanderbilt looks to keep its unbeaten record intact as it hosts an Ole Miss team seeking to reverse a trend of poor performance in Southeastern Conference openers. The Commodores have won four of the past six meetings with the Rebels.

TV: SEC TV Network/ESPN3.com. LINE: Mississippi -1.5.

ABOUT MISSISSIPPI (1-1, 0-0 SEC): A 42-24 win over Southern Illinois helped Rebels coach Houston Nutt avoid his first 0-2 start to a season since 1993. The Rebels have lost their past seven SEC openers. The last victory came in 2003. The opponent? Vanderbilt. Jeff Scott currently is the leading punt returner in the nation, averaging 35.7 yards per return. The Rebels currently rank last in the SEC in both rushing offense and points per game.

ABOUT VANDERBILT (2-0, 0-0 SEC): The Commodores are off to their best start since 2008, when they won their first five games and made a bowl appearance. This Vanderbilt team currently leads the SEC in sacks (3.5 per game) and turnover margin (+4). Vanderbilt also has returned an interception for a TD in each of its first two ballgames.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Vanderbilt’s Rob Lohr was named SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week after making four tackles for loss in the Commodores’ 24-21 win over Connecticut. That’s the most stops for lost yardage in a single game by a Vanderbilt defender in more than a decade. Jamie Winborn had five on Nov. 6, 2000 in a loss to Florida.

2. Look for the Ole Miss defense to be extremely aggressive. Defensive coordinator Tyrone Nix told the Jackson Clarion-Ledger that the Rebels were “going to press them from the start of the game to the end of the game and see what happens.”

3. Jabo Burrow, who began this season as Vanderbilt’s starting left guard, has been forced to retire from football due to a series of concussions.

PREDICTION: Vanderbilt 24, Ole Miss 13 – They’ll be partying like it’s 2008 in Nashville after the Commodores get off to a 3-0 start.