GAME BREAKDOWN
KEY MATCHUP: What can Ole Miss get done defensively against Auburn? That will be the big question.
Clearly the offensive side of the ball has not been Auburn’s best, but it hasn’t taken elite offenses to roll up yards and points against Ole Miss.
Arkansas rushed for 299 yards against Ole Miss and had 10 runs of 10 yards or more.
The Rebels, though, made key plays late to allow their offense to rally from 13 points back in the middle of the third quarter.
The Rebels scored touchdowns on three of four second-half possessions while holding Arkansas to two field goals. Ole Miss didn’t force an Arkansas punt until the middle of the fourth quarter, but the Hogs’ last three possessions went punt, punt, interception.
That’s the best-case scenario for Ole Miss — occasional stops to give their offense a chance.
In Little Rock, those stops happened to be bunched together at the end. This is an Ole Miss defense that gave up 245.3 yards on the ground last year and had high hopes for improvement. The Rebels got off to a decent start against Texas Tech with 164 rushing yards allowed, but injuries and inexperience have changed things along the way.
DRAFT SLANT
–QB Jordan Ta’amu has been called a “sleeper to watch” by some draft experts, but that could change as his dual threat skills are emphasized more. He seems to be good for about a pick a game, something that needs to improve, but he’s completing passes at a 65.8 percent rate and was an excellent 21-for-24 against ULM.
ROSTER REPORT
–WR Braylon Sanders will take over as the starter in Metcalf’s spots. Sanders had three catches for 35 yards against Arkansas after Metcalf left the game. He has 12 catches for 247 yards and a touchdown this season.
–DE Markel Winters overcame a poor start to his college career after transferring from junior college to earn a starting position. He left the Arkansas game in the first half with what turned out to be a severe knee sprain that will keep him out for four games. Winters leads the team with four sacks.
–FS C.J. Miller, a sophomore, took over for injured starter C.J. Moore against ULM but suffered an ankle sprain and didn’t play against Arkansas. He is expected to practice this week and play Saturday.
–FS Armani Linton, who moved over from running back two weeks ago, started against Arkansas but was ultimately replaced by Hartsfield, opening the door for more of Hartsfield at free safety this week. Linton had just one assisted tackle in the game.
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