No. 7 Ole Miss will take on its fifth-ranked opponent of the season when it travels to Austin to meet No. 19 Texas in Week 8.
The Rebels picked up a critical win against Missouri in dominant fashion, while Texas picked up its second-straight loss in Week 7. Texas is playing with its back against the wall and is in a ‘must-win’ spot. Ole Miss desperately wants to avoid the position the Longhorns are currently in, considering the Rebels’ path the rest of the way.
Going into the weekend, Ole Miss’ strength of schedule is No. 12 and its strength of record is No. 9 in the country, according to ESPN’s FPI. A win on Saturday would go a long way for the Rebels’ resume and they aren't taking the struggling Longhorns lightly either.
Saturday’s kickoff between the Rebels and Longhorns is set for 6:30 p.m. CT on ABC. Ole Miss enters the weekend as 3.5-point underdogs.
Ahead of the Rebels' latest top-25 matchup, Ole Miss On SI predicts which team wins and why.
Tyler Komis
Going into the year, and after the first three weeks of the season, Week 8 was a game I was fairly confident penciling in a loss for Ole Miss. However, now we’re actually here. With the new developments for each side throughout the month of October heading into this weekend, I like Ole Miss to get the job done in one of the country’s hardest atmospheres.
Not to mention Texas won’t have some of its best players available, including Colin Simmons. He’s the type of player that’s a true game-wrecker and likely a top-10 pick in this spring’s NFL Draft. Considering Ole Miss is expected to start a true sophomore still gaining valuable experience at right tackle and a banged up Terez Davis at left tackle, there’s no telling how much of an impact Simmons could’ve had on the outcome of Saturday’s game.
Though encouraging, Ole Miss’ performance running the ball and defending the run against Vanderbilt didn’t convince me that the Rebels were going to turn it around in those two aspects in a snap of a finger. That said, its dominant performance against Missouri did. Both games, particularly against the Tigers last week, were necessary confidence boosters for Ole Miss going into this weekend.
Arch Manning appears to be pressing and Texas as a whole is in a make-or-break moment. It won’t be easy as the Rebels will certainly get the kitchen sink thrown at them by Texas, but I think Ole Miss pulls out another tight one.
Ole Miss 30, Texas 24
Matt Galatzan
This is pretty simple. If the Texas offense doesn't show up, Ole Miss is going to win by multiple scores. The Longhorns have an immeasurable amount of talent on that side of the ball, but the process, the protection and the quarterback have all been a disaster over the last few weeks.
The Texas defense can keep them in this one, but it is all going to fall on the shoulders of Steve Sarkisian, Arch Manning, and the offense. Give me the better quarterback, and the better running game.
Ole Miss 31, Texas 28
Jaydon Koss
This is the most difficult prediction of the season so far for me. Texas has its back against the wall and really needs to win this game to keep its College Football Playoff hopes going strong. Ole Miss can afford one loss, but would not like to be in Texas’ current position on Nov. 7 when Georgia comes to Oxford.
Logically, I want to pick Ole Miss because of the combination of the faith I have in the tandem of Trinidad Chambliss and Kewan Lacy, Texas having key players like Colin Simmons and likely Hollywood Smothers out with injuries. Also, Ole Miss’ defense seems to be peaking coming off a 31-3 win over Missouri.
However, my gut just won’t let me pick against a desperate Texas team in a sold-out home game on a Saturday night. Give me the Longhorns to bounce back from two straight losses and beat Ole Miss in a close game.
Texas 31, Ole Miss 28
Zion Trammell
Ole Miss is coming off its best defensive performance of the season while Texas is struggling to find its offensive identity. The Longhorns have plenty of talent to succeed, which makes this matchup nerve-wracking. The Rebels have to grab an early lead and take the home crowd out of the game. I think Ole Miss will lean on Kewan Lacy and the Rebels will steal a huge road win.
Ole Miss 30, Texas 24
Cooper Ferguson
I really do think that with the right system, Arch Manning can be a top-tier quarterback. He has the arm talent to compete with anyone in the nation, but the offensive line in front of him doesn't let him show it.
Ole Miss wins through a defense that has grown increasingly strong over the past few weeks.
Ole Miss 35, Texas 17
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