Ole Miss @ LSU preview
Tiger Stadium
Last Meeting ( Oct 19, 2013 ) Louisiana State 24, Mississippi 27
Mississippi's dream season rolls into Baton Rouge, La., on Saturday as the third-ranked Rebels face a tough road test at No. 23 LSU. The Rebels are off to their best start since 1962 and are aiming for only the second 8-0 start in program history. Meanwhile, LSU has knocked off at least one top-10 opponent at Tiger Stadium in each of the past four seasons and has chances to do so each of the next two games with No. 4 Alabama visiting on Nov. 8.
The Rebels have beaten ranked opponents two of the past three weeks and face another big hurdle in the Tigers, who have won two straight since a 41-7 loss at Auburn and are coming off a 41-3 thrashing of Kentucky. "The last two weeks they've gotten back to doing their bread and butter," Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze said of LSU. "That's physical, control the clock. They're able to run the football with the outstanding backs that they have." LSU has won nine of the last 12 meetings but lost 27-24 last season in Oxford; Ole Miss has won two straight in the series only once since 1999.
TV: 7:15 p.m. ET, ESPN. LINE: Mississippi -3.5.
ABOUT MISSISSIPPI (7-0, 4-0 SEC): Ole Miss boasts the nation's top scoring defense, allowing 10.6 points per game, and the defense has scored almost as many TDs (4) as it has allowed (6). The Rebels have forced a whopping 20 turnovers, including a nation-best 15 interceptions, and will try to exploit LSU's young quarterback duo. The offense is a little more understated, but quarterback Bo Wallace — often noted for his up-and-down play — has been outstanding, racking up 1,899 passing yards with 17 TDs against six interceptions.
ABOUT LSU (6-2, 2-2): The Tigers' defense had struggled in SEC play before turning in a dominant effort last week, holding Kentucky to 217 total yards and three points. The offense has put up 28 or more points in seven of eight games despite sometimes inconsistent quarterback play, with sophomore Anthony Jennings and freshman Brandon Harris splitting time under center. Both quarterbacks have a strong running game to lean on and a big-play receiver in Travin Dural, who averages 25.6 yards per catch and has hauled in seven TDs.
EXTRA POINTS
1. Wallace has gone 94 pass attempts without an interception and is the only SEC starting quarterback who hasn't been picked off in league play.
2. LSU, which has 16 takeaways, is tied for fifth nationally with 72 points off turnovers.
3. Ole Miss has forced a turnover in 30 consecutive games, tied for the second-longest streak in the nation behind Louisiana-Monroe (32).
PREDICTION: Mississippi 20, LSU 16