SEC Nation’s panel split on the LSU-Ole Miss showdown, but the crew did not exactly lean hard toward the Rebels.
With College GameDay in Oxford for the No. 7 LSU Tigers and No.
8 Ole Miss Rebels, SEC Nation was stationed on The Plains for Florida and Auburn. Even so, the group still got around to the top-10 matchup everyone wants to see, and the picks came down with LSU holding the edge.
Matt Barrie handed the first selection to Tim Tebow, who made it clear he’s been impressed by Trinidad Chambliss. Still, Tebow stopped short of backing Ole Miss.
“I love Trinidad Chambliss… he’s the best in the country right now,” Tebow declared. “But I think LSU has too many dudes… LSU wins a close one.”
Chase Daniel went the other way. He pointed to Sam Leavitt’s uneven start and also noted LSU’s offensive line issues after the Tigers gave up five sacks against Louisiana Tech. From there, Daniel backed Ole Miss and Chambliss.
“We broke down the inconsistencies of Sam Leavitt’s play [and] that offensive line of LSU gave up five sacks vs. Louisiana Tech,” Daniel said. “I think Ole Miss’ defensive line [is] a little bit better than Louisiana Tech’s… I’m on the Trinidad Chambliss train… Hotty Todday, Ole Miss all the way.”
Roman Harper and Paul Finebaum then sided with LSU, leaving Daniel as the lone pick for the Rebels.
Ole Miss will try to make him the only correct member of the SEC Nation crew when the Tigers and Rebels kick off at 7:30 p.m. E.T. tonight on ABC.
In Other News...
Ole Miss Fan Just Gave The Grove A Viral GameDay Moment
ESPNs College GameDay brought another big-stage scene to The Grove in Oxford, where Ole Miss freshman James Whitehead stepped into Pat McAfees weekly kicking contest and drilled a 33-yard field goal attempt. The moment had all the ingredients for a viral Saturday: a packed backdrop, a live national audience and a kick that suddenly turned into a life-changing payday.
McAfee added to the spectacle by mistakenly writing $100 million on the novelty check before correcting it on the broadcast, but the real prize was the $1 million Whitehead won for the successful kick. Whitehead said he plans to split the money with a friend who submitted the winning entry, giving the Rebels game-day buzz an extra local twist beyond the headline moment itself. [Read more 🡒]
GameDays Ole Miss Split Just Added More Heat To LSU Showdown
Oxford got the full spotlight before Ole Miss and LSU kicked off, with College GameDay airing live from town and turning the build-up into its own event. The crew also worked through a slate of Week 3 predictions, and when it came time for the Rebels and Tigers, the split only underscored how much attention this matchup has drawn beyond the field.
Most of the panel leaned toward Ole Miss, while Nick Saban went the other way with LSU, and Kirk Herbstreit stayed out of the pick entirely since he is on the call for the game. With Morgan Freeman also joining in on the prediction fun, the whole morning added another layer to a rivalry-style showdown that already had plenty of heat. [Read more 🡒]
Ole Miss Fans Made Their Feelings On Lane Kiffin Impossible To Ignore
Oxford had the full college-football spotlight Saturday morning, with College GameDay setting up on campus ahead of the LSU-Ole Miss matchup. The backdrop was a familiar one for Rebels fans: a rivalry game with plenty of history, a charged atmosphere around kickoff, and plenty of attention on the programs recent past under Lane Kiffin.
Kiffin, now back in the conversation through a virtual interview on the show, did not exactly get a warm reception from the crowd. Ole Miss fans made their feelings plain with boos and chants that cut through the broadcast, a reminder of how personal these moments can still feel in Oxford as the rivalry and the Kiffin era continue to overlap. [Read more 🡒]