Ole Miss LB Austin Keys Talks Bye Week, Extra Preparation for Alabama
OXFORD, Miss., -- The No. 11 Ole Miss Rebels are going into Saturday's home game versus the No. 10 Alabama Crimson Tide with a lot on the line.
With only three more regular season matchups remaining on their schedule, Ole Miss could potentially finish its season with one loss. If the Rebels manage to win out and the LSU Tigers somehow slip up, Ole Miss is likely punching its ticket to the SEC Championship game.
For that scenario to become a possibility, however, the Rebels will have to take care of business against the Crimson Tide this Saturday. Alabama is coming into the matchup with two losses but Ole Miss will still need to be on its A-game as the Rebels have not beaten the Crimson Tide since 2015.
Fortunately for Ole Miss, its bye was scheduled the week before its biggest game of the fall. The Rebels got extra time to rest up and prepare for the final stretch of the season.
Ole Miss linebacker Austin Keys spoke with the media on Tuesday and discussed the mood of the team coming off the much-needed bye week.
"Coach [Kiffin] told us this morning it's a new week so we have to attack," Keys told reporters. "Of course, we took advantage of the bye week and kept the same energy so we feel good."
The sophomore linebacker also commented on how he spent the bye week.
"Preparing for this opponent," Keys said.
Keys gave his thoughts on the upcoming game versus the Crimson Tide.
"Kind of wish it was a night game," Keys said jokingly. "But hey, it is what it is, we've got [Alabama] at home in the Vaught."
Keys mentioned what stands out to him the most about Alabama's talented roster.
"They're a really nice team, so everything they do," Keys said.
Despite the pressure to win, Keys is not fazed by the stakes.
"I take every game the same," Keys said. "It's a [new week] and a new opponent, so we try to take every game the same."
Ole Miss versus Alabama is set to kick off Saturday at 2:30 p.m. CT on CBS.
You can follow Ben King on Twitter at @BKing_2023.
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