Rebel TRAP GAME? Ole miss vs florida game preview

Imagine if the week after arguably the biggest win in program history, you had to travel to The Swamp to take on a Jon Sumrall led Florida Gators team. Well, that is exactly what Ole Miss has to do this week. It is the textbook “trap game” or “hangover game” and Vegas currently has #21-ranked Florida as a 3.5-point favorite. Top 5 teams are 0-4 as underdogs against a team ranked outside of the top 20. The sportsbooks are certainly setting this one up to be a major upset. 

Just a handful of days ago, Lane Kiffin took the field in Oxford in front of an angry Ole Miss crowd. Ole Miss struck early and held on to win 32-24, in arguably the most anticipated game of this season. However, Ole Miss will need to celebrate quickly and get back to work to prepare for a hungry Florida Gators team that has failed to put up less than 40 points in each of their first three games.

This Florida team is fresh off a big win of their own on the road against Auburn. The Gators traveled to Auburn and took the Tigers down 44-39. Transfer Quarterback Aaron Philo threw for 204 yards and a touchdown, while also adding an interception. Potentially the best running back in the country, Jadan Baugh, ran for 162 yards and three touchdowns. He currently has 458 rushing yards and 8 touchdowns on the season, 2nd and 1st in the country respectively. The Ole Miss defense has struggled against the run this season, most recently allowing 106 yards on the ground to LSU Running Back Dilin Jones. The Rebels even allowed over 5 yards per carry to Charlotte running backs in Week 2. If the Ole Miss defense can’t stop Baugh, it’ll be a long night for the Rebels. They’ll need their defensive lineman and linebackers, like Suntarine Perkins and Will Echoles to step up big time in this one. 

The Ole Miss defense has proven to be vulnerable against the pass as well. That being said, they will need to contain the elite wide receiver duo of Vernell Brown III and Dallas Wilson. The two have combined for 471 yards through three games, along with 4 touchdowns. Cornerback Jaylon Braxton leads the Rebel defense in pass deflections and interceptions so far this season and they will turn to him to help shut this duo down.

On the flip side, we know what we are getting with the Ole Miss offense. It is as consistent as can be, but are shootouts really a sustainable way to win? The nature of this Rebel team gives Chambliss and his offense very little room to slip up. One turnover can completely set you behind in a game where neither defense can seem to come up with a stop. Last week against Auburn, Florida got a good look at a dual-threat quarterback in Byrum Brown. He’s no Trinidad Chambliss, but they held him to a 57% completion rate and managed to intercept him once. However, Brown ran for 65 yards and a touchdown, which is something that the Gator defense cannot allow Chambliss to do to them. 

Running Back Kewan Lacy looks to be a game-time decision for the Rebels on Saturday. This will be crucial news for this game, as Lacy gives the Rebels offense an elite running game, in addition to their already elite passing game. He exited in the 3rd quarter against LSU, but Coach Pete Golding implied that the MRI results were better than they expected them to be. JT Lindsey, a freshman, ran for 20 yards on 4 carries after Lacy’s exit. He has just 12 carries on the season. 

The Ole Miss running and passing game combination is why they are a top 5 team in the country and hold wins over 10th ranked LSU and 16th ranked Louisville. Without Lacy, a threat disappears and a weight is lifted off the Florida Gators defense’s shoulders. Make sure to monitor this injury as the week progresses.

Florida will look to Linebackers Myles Graham and Jayden Woods, along with Defensive Backs Ben Hanks III and Bryce Thornton, to contain the highly explosive Rebel offense. You have to believe that in the Gator locker room they are saying that if they hold the Rebels to under 30 points, this game is theirs.

Will Ole Miss show their discipline and focus, even after beating their arch nemesis, Lane Kiffin? Or will Jon Sumrall get his first signature win at The Swamp? We will see at 3:30 on ABC when this game kicks off.