The spotlight will be bright in Oxford tomorrow night, but not just because No. 8 Ole Miss is hosting No.
7 LSU at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Lane Kiffin’s return to Oxford has fueled plenty of the conversation, along with the recent message sent to Ole Miss fans about conduct this Saturday night.
Once the game starts, though, the noise outside the lines should fade fast.
What matters most is how Ole Miss and LSU handle the matchup on the field, and the running game may be the clearest path to control for the Rebels. Much of the attention has gone to Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss and LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt, since the passing game figures to shape a lot of what happens. But Ole Miss running back Kewan Lacy has been easy to overlook after a relatively slow start, and he may end up being one of the biggest keys in the game.
If Chambliss and Lacy both get rolling, Ole Miss has a real shot to dictate the pace of the Magnolia Bowl.
That matters in a game many expect to turn into a shootout. For Ole Miss, the better early play might be the simplest one: run the ball, build rhythm, and make LSU react.
On paper, the ground game looks like Ole Miss’s best edge. LSU running back Dilin Jones has 180 yards and two touchdowns on 41 carries through the Tigers’ first two games. Last season at Wisconsin, Jones ran for 300 yards and two touchdowns.
Lacy’s numbers are stronger. He has 148 yards and three touchdowns on 30 carries this season, and last year he finished with more than 1,500 yards and 24 touchdowns.
That kind of production changes games. A sharp Lacy gives Ole Miss explosive-play potential, but it also helps with something just as important: time of possession. A productive run game shortens the game, cuts down on passing volume, and takes some of the pressure off Chambliss, even if Chambliss usually does a good job of avoiding mistakes.
Chambliss can hurt defenses on the ground too. Last season, he ran for more than 500 yards and eight touchdowns.
If the two “H6I5MEN” contenders are both effective running the football and Chambliss stays as efficient as he normally is through the air, Ole Miss could own the clock and force LSU to chase. That would mean the Tigers would have to move away from the plan they came in with.
In a matchup this close, the first team to grab the lead may not let it go.
In Other News...
Ole Miss Just Landed A GameDay Guest Picker Fans Will Love
College GameDay is bringing a familiar face to Oxford for the Ole Miss-LSU spotlight, with actor Morgan Freeman set to serve as the celebrity guest picker. Freeman is a longtime Ole Miss fan and local resident, and the announcement lands like a natural fit for a program that has leaned on campus energy and big-game atmosphere all season.
Freeman has long had ties to the university, including past appearances at Ole Miss basketball games, and he recently popped back into the college sports conversation with a viral moment involving Auburn star Johni Broome. His presence adds another layer to an already high-profile broadcast, even before the cameras turn to what he might say when the picks get rolling. [Read more 🡒]
Ole Miss Just Landed A GameDay Moment Fans Will Love
With The Grove set to take center stage for Ole Misss SEC opener against LSU, the Rebels are getting a little extra star power on campus this weekend. ESPNs College GameDay will broadcast from Oxford for the Week 3 matchup, and the atmosphere should already be heavy enough before the first kick with one of the sports best pregame stages serving as the backdrop.
Morgan Freeman will add another layer to it as the guest picker, bringing a familiar face and an unmistakably Ole Miss connection to the show. The actor and longtime Rebels fan will join the hosts and analysts to make his picks during the broadcast, giving Saturdays spotlight a local twist fans will not need much convincing to enjoy. [Read more 🡒]
Ole Miss Walks Into LSU With One Pregame Controversy Hanging Over It
LSUs quarterback situation has added an unexpected edge to a showdown Ole Miss already knew would come with plenty of heat. Sam Leavitt was listed as doubtful on the injury report ahead of the game, and the placement immediately stirred questions around whether the Tigers were dealing with a real setback or playing a longer game against a top SEC opponent.
Inside Ole Miss circles, theres been skepticism about how much of that designation should be taken at face value. The Rebels are preparing for the possibility that this is as much about gamesmanship as health, with Lane Kiffin drawing the kind of pregame mind games that can linger right up until kickoff. Even before the first snap, the matchup already has a feel of one coach trying to get inside the others head. [Read more 🡒]