Game Prediction: #9 Alabama Crimson Tide at #11 Ole Miss Rebels
The Alabama Crimson Tide will look to get back on track against a familiar face when they travel to Oxford to take on Lane Kiffin and the #11 Ole Miss Rebels. Ole Miss is hoping to keep its SEC West hopes alive while the Crimson Tide are looking to get back on track after an overtime loss to LSU.
Where: Vaught-Hemingway Stadium (Oxford, Miss.)
When: 3:30 PM ET
Network: CBS
Line: Alabama -12.0, O/U 64.5
IB has broken down the game and is ready to make predictions!
BRYAN DRISKELL, PUBLISHER
Prediction: Ole Miss 38, Alabama 35
I know I know, I'm an absolute idiot for betting against Nick Saban and predicting that Alabama will lose back-to-back games for the first time since 2013. Everything about this from a common sense standpoint tells me the Tide will bounce back, and that the greatest coach of my generation will snap them out of the funk that resulted in losses to LSU and Tennessee, and near losses to Texas and Texas A&M.
But I'm still going with Ole Miss in this game.
The last two teams that tried to run on Alabama did just that, with Tennessee (182) and LSU (185) both going over 180 yards. Arkansas also racked up 187 yards on the Tide defense. None of those teams come anywhere close to being as good at running the football as is Ole Miss, who is led by standout freshman Quinshon Judkins (1,034 yards) and former five-star Zach Evans (680). Ole Miss also has Jaxson Dart at quarterback, and while he hasn't lit the world on fire as a passer, he's a weapon on the ground (473 yards).
If Ole Miss can just make a couple of stops on defense, something it has struggled to do in big games, the offense should give it a shot to win the game. I think the offense for the Rebels looks more like the 2020 matchup (268 rush yards) than the 2021 matchup (78 rush yards).
Bryce Young will be his brilliant self, but he just doesn't have the coaching help (OC) or the talent around him that past Bama quarterbacks have had.
RYAN ROBERTS, RECRUITING DIRECTOR
Prediction: Alabama 37, Ole Miss 27
It is not the season that Alabama anticipated. The offense is going to need to find a level of consistency down the stretch in the worst way. Luckily the Ole Miss defense has been very hit or miss so far this season.
Ultimately the gap between Bryce Young and Jaxson Dart wins out. It’s difficult to beat Alabama, and it’s almost impossible to give them a loss in back to back weeks. The Crimson Tide recover.
VINCE DEDARIO, FOOTBALL ANALYST
Prediction: Alabama 27, Ole Miss 21
Alabama has not been saddled with two losses this "early" in the season in a long time. 2010 to be precise and that second loss came to LSU on the road by 3. Sound familiar? They actually lost three regular season games that year dropping their final game to Auburn. Ole Miss is the last team on the schedule with a legit chance to beat the Tide and that game is being played at Ole Miss. I would love to pick the Rebels in this game but I just do not have the guts to pick against a 11.5 spread. I will take Ole Miss to cover though.
SHAUN DAVIS, RECRUITING ANALYST
Prediction: Alabama 31, Ole Miss 27
If LSU is the litmus test for this matchup, then Ole Miss should jump out to an early lead and look to hold off Bryce Young’s magic in the second half.
SEAN STIRES, STAFF WRITER
Prediction: Alabama 31, Ole Miss 27
If there’s a team nobody wants to be this week it’s Ole Miss. Alabama is coming off its overtime loss to LSU and Lane Kiffin was practically begging anyone who would listen not to write off Nick Saban after the Tide’s second loss of the season. History definitely does not favor Kiffin and the Rebels. The last time Alabama lost two games in a row was 2013 when the lost the “Kick Six” game to Auburn and followed that with a Sugar Bowl loss to Oklahoma. They also haven’t lost three games in a season since 2010.
ANDREW McDONOUGH, IB CONTRIBUTOR
Prediction: Alabama 42, Ole Miss 28
Alabama hasn't lost back-to-back regular season games since Nick Saban's first season in 2007, and that isn't going to change against this Ole Miss team. The Crimson Tide are going to come out angry on the road against a talented - but young - Ole Miss team. I'm a huge fan of Lane Kiffin's offensive philosophy and there's no denying that Ole Miss can score, but the Rebel defense is not consistent enough to win this game. Ole Miss ranks 8th in the SEC in total defense and 10th against the pass, and Bryce Young and the Alabama offense will find success early and often.
IB STAFF STANDINGS
Bryan - 37-10
Ryan - 32-15
Vince - 30-17
Shaun - 29-18
Sean - 27-20
Andrew - 26-21
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