Mississippi Rebels vs. Arkansas Razorbacks Pick & Prediction NOVEMBER 2nd 2024
Preview and Prediction
In the constantly perilous Southeastern Conference where seemingly simpler, unranked matchups on paper turn into 60-minute battles on the field coach Lane Kiffin and No. 19 Ole Miss are well aware of the potential outcomes just one state over.
Ole Miss (6-2, 2-2) will find themselves in one of those situations this Saturday afternoon as they face off against Arkansas (5-3, 3-2) in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
Both teams are part of a cluster of SEC teams with two losses, including No. 14 Alabama and No. 25 Missouri, who cannot afford a third defeat if they hope to make it to the College Football Playoffs.
Vanderbilt (5-3, 2-2) and Florida (4-3, 2-2), two of the most impressive teams this season, also have two SEC losses. However, their third losses, which came from non-conference games, essentially eliminate them from consideration for an at-large CFP spot.
Despite being favored, Ole Miss must be cautious of the Razorbacks on Saturday, and Kiffin need only look back to one of his previous coaching positions at Tennessee to understand the potential danger.
Ranked No. 4, the Vols traveled to Fayetteville and suffered a 19-14 loss on October 5th, quickly destroying their top-five ranking.
Kiffin and Arkansas' head coach Sam Pittman have a history of wild games against each other, including a 52-51 Ole Miss victory in 2021, where the Razorbacks missed a game-winning two-point conversion on the final play.
In all four meetings between Kiffin and Pittman, the home team has emerged victorious.
"We've had some really tough matchups with them since we've been here," said Kiffin of the Rebels' coach on Monday.
Arkansas has already surpassed last season's four-win total by alternating wins and losses since the start of conference play, including a 24-14 victory over Auburn in Week 4.
In their dominant 58-25 win over Mississippi State last Saturday, Arkansas' offense was led by quarterback Taylen Green, who threw for five touchdowns, ran for one, and helped the team gain a total of 675 yards.
Green has accumulated 2,451 all-purpose yards and 16 touchdowns (11 passing, 5 rushing), and has been a key factor in the offense since the departure of three-year starter KJ Jefferson to UCF.
The Razorbacks currently rank seventh in the nation in total offense, averaging 482.5 yards per game, while Ole Miss ranks second with 538.1 yards per game.
Pittman noted that this year's Ole Miss team is different from previous years, with their defense potentially being stronger than their offense. Former Razorbacks linebacker Chris "Pooh" Paul Jr. leads the team with 58 tackles.
"I thought he was physical and played with a lot of heart," said Kiffin of why he recruited Paul during the offseason. "He got injured in our game against them last year, and his absence was definitely noticeable. He's been a great addition to our team."
The improvement in Ole Miss' defense is evident.
"They've always been solid on defense, but now they have the top-ranked rush defense and are also first in points allowed," said Pittman. "Their defensive line is deep and they have talent at every position. (Paul) is their leading tackler and has been playing exceptionally well. They are just a really strong defensive team.
"When you think of Ole Miss, you usually think of their offense."
Pittman also mentioned that top running back Ja'Quinden Jackson and defensive back Jaylon Braxton are unlikely to play on Saturday due to injuries, while running back Rodney Hill is expected to be available.
Mississippi Rebels vs. Arkansas Razorbacks Recap NOV 2TH 2024
Jaxson Dart passed for 515 yards and six touchdowns and Jordan Watkins had a career receiving day, lifting No. 19 Mississippi to a 63-31 win over Arkansas on Saturday afternoon in Fayetteville, Ark.
Dart completed 25 of 31 passes and rushed for 47 yards for Ole Miss (7-2, 3-2 Southeastern Conference) as it snapped a five-game winning streak by the home team in the series.
Five of his TD passes went to Watkins, a senior wide receiver who set a career high in TDs and receiving yards (254) on eight receptions.
Cayden Lee had five catches for 127 yards while tight end Dae'Quan Wright had nine receptions for 99 yards and two TDs.
Injured early, Taylen Green finished 10 of 14 for 158 yards for Arkansas (5-4, 3-3). Backup Malachi Singleton was 11 for 14 for 207 yards with one touchdown pass to Luke Hasz. Andrew Armstrong had 135 yards on six catches.
After Arkansas stuffed the visitors on fourth-and-goal at the 1 in the first quarter, Rebels linebacker TJ Dottery sacked Green in the end zone, causing a fumble that Princely Umanmielen recovered at 6:56.
Green was hurt on a 14-yard run just over a minute later. Matthew Shipley soon banged a career-long 55-yard field goal to put up the first points.
On the second play in the second, Dart tossed a play-action TD pass to Wright for four yards to move the advantage to 14-3.
Dart found Watkins for 62- and 66-yard scores on the next two series for a 28-3 lead with over 10 minutes remaining, but Rashod Dubinion tallied from six yards out to cut the deficit.
Dart, who passed for 294 yards in the half, capped it with a 3-yard strike to Watkins for a 35-10 halftime edge.
In a high-scoring third, he hit Watkins for the fourth time from 11 yards, while Singleton dashed on a 13-yard TD at 9:49 for a 42-17 score.
Defensive tackle JJ Pegues bulled in for his sixth rushing score, and Watkins went 62 yards with his fifth TD to make it 56-17 at 4:48. Rodney Hill broke the scoring run with a short rush to end the quarter's scoring.
Wright caught his second TD, a 12-yarder, from backup Austin Simmons at 5:36, and Hasz scored from 22 yards for the final margin.