No. 7 LSU and No.
8 Ole Miss are headed into Saturday night’s Magnolia Bowl with plenty of familiarity and even more on the line in Oxford. It’s the first Top 10 matchup between the programs since 1962, and both teams arrive at 2-0, setting up a night at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium where somebody has to blink.
The personnel crossover makes this one feel even tighter. Lane Kiffin knows the Ole Miss roster he left behind, Pete Golding spent three seasons coaching with him, and several LSU players wore an Ole Miss uniform not long ago. Still, once the game starts, all that shared history only goes so far.
One of the biggest LSU swing pieces is Princewill Umanmielen, who has already piled up five sacks in the Tigers’ first two games. Three of those came against Louisiana Tech last weekend, and now he gets a shot at the program he played for just one season ago.
Ole Miss quarterback Chambliss is a tough target because pressure alone doesn’t always finish the job; he threw for 314 yards against LSU last season and added 71 more yards on the ground. LSU has to do more than send Umanmielen off the edge.
The Tigers need to squeeze the pocket, stay disciplined, and keep Chambliss from slipping away.
My Prediction: Umanmielen gets Chambliss three times Saturday night and leaves Oxford with eight sacks through three games.
Another LSU player with a built-in edge is Winston Watkins Jr., who transferred to Baton Rouge after spending his freshman season at Ole Miss. He has already carved out a real role in the passing game, and his LSU debut hinted at what he can bring.
Against Clemson, Watkins caught seven passes for 110 yards and a touchdown, giving LSU a downfield threat that could force Ole Miss to spread its attention. If Sam Leavitt is healthy enough to start, Kiffin could look for ways to get Watkins involved early, and LSU may not be shy about taking a deep shot his way.
My Prediction: Watkins breaks 100 receiving yards for the second time in three games and catches two touchdowns against his former team.
Chambliss also looms as the key reason Ole Miss got the better of LSU last season. He beat the Tigers with his arm and his legs, and he’s the kind of quarterback who can keep a defense chasing him for an entire game.
LSU’s front has created steady pressure through two weeks, with Umanmielen setting the tone, and the Tigers’ familiarity with Chambliss could matter too. Umanmielen and linebacker TJ Dottery both practiced against him at Ole Miss last season, so LSU has some firsthand knowledge of the type of player it needs to slow down.
Chambliss is going to make plays. LSU is not going to erase him completely. But over four quarters, the Tigers should be able to force a few bad decisions.
My Prediction: LSU intercepts Chambliss twice and forces another fumble, giving the Tigers three takeaways in Oxford.
Saturday has the ingredients for a big one: a Top 10 rivalry game, Kiffin’s return, former Rebels in LSU colors, two undefeated teams, and College GameDay in town. When the noise settles, the difference may come down to which side delivers in the biggest moments.
In Other News...
LSUs Quarterback Situation Just Got Dragged Into A New Controversy
LSUs quarterback room has already carried plenty of weight this season, and now Sam Leavitts move to Baton Rouge has been pulled into a very different kind of spotlight. The Tigers loss to Ole Miss was the backdrop, but the noise afterward centered on social media attention around an account believed to be linked to Leavitts father, Jared Leavitt, a former BYU linebacker.
The posts drew controversy for comments about Muslims, and they quickly became part of the conversation around LSUs quarterback situation. As of now, LSU has not issued a statement about the social media posts, and there has been no apology from the account, leaving another off-field issue hanging over a team trying to settle things on the field. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Fans Had Plenty To Say About This Ole Miss Sideshow
The LSU-Ole Miss matchup had plenty of on-field intrigue, but a separate social media subplot quickly grabbed attention around the game. A fan seated next to Barstools Ben Mintz was identified online as Hannah Minch, an Ole Miss supporter who already had a sizable following, and her appearance in the seats turned into one of those viral side stories that can travel fast during a big SEC weekend.
For LSU fans, it was another reminder of how much the conversation around this rivalry now spills well beyond the stadium. Minchs profile surged after the moment spread, while Lane Kiffin added his own layer to the night by speaking about the emotional closure he felt connected to his Ole Miss past and his current LSU role. It left plenty for both fan bases to debate long after the game itself faded from view. [Read more 🡒]
Trinidad Chambliss Had A Message LSU Fans Wont Like
Ole Miss left Baton Rouge with a 32-24 win, and Trinidad Chambliss made sure the tone afterward matched the result. The Rebels quarterback was sharp from the start, finishing 33 of 48 for 363 yards and two touchdowns, and his play helped Ole Miss build a 24-7 lead by halftime before LSU tightened things up in the second half.
Chambliss also had a message for anyone still sizing up the Rebels after the game. He said Ole Miss is here to compete, a confidence that fit the way he played when the pressure was at its highest. For LSU, it was the kind of loss that leaves a sting because the early deficit made the comeback chase so difficult, and because the opposing quarterback sounded anything but surprised by the stage. [Read more 🡒]