Ole Miss Rebels Week 9 Opponent: Vanderbilt Commodores
The great rivalry of the Southeastern Conference that never was? What a shame it has to come to an end.
Teams from opposing divisions feature an opponent who is supposed to be considered a fierce opponent due to the school's history. For Georgia, it's Auburn in the infamous "Deep South's Oldest Rivalry." Alabama takes on Tennessee in "The Third Saturday in October," where stogies are often lit from the side of the Crimson and White.
As for Ole Miss? Vanderbilt is the foe that must be vanquished every season. The Rebels have done an exceptional job at that since 2012, winning eight of the last 11 matchups. In 1992, the SEC determined that due to the location and population size of both universities, the two schools would build a rich rivalry on Saturdays to provide compelling matchups in Oxford and Nashville.
It's compelling to know that the game will cease on a regular basis once Texas and Oklahoma join the conference in 2024, bringing the total number of programs to 16. Under the new eight-game scheduling format, each team will only have one permanent rival, and the Egg Bowl isn't going anywhere in the Magnolia State.
No. 12 Ole Miss (6-1, 3-1 SEC) seems poised to make a run toward Atlanta in Year 4 of the Lane Kiffin era. Sure, the Rebels will need No. 9 Alabama to drop a game. And yes, Ole Miss must continue its winning ways, but a matchup against Vanderbilt following a closer-than-expected contest against Auburn might be the remedy needed to get the offense rolling before facing a stout Texas A&M to begin November.
The Commodores, who were idle last week, have lost six straight since their 2-0 start. Opponents are averaging 34.4 points against them, and no SEC school has scored less than 38 in four contests.
Will Ole Miss be the first to score 50 in front of the home crowd?
Follow along with TheGroveReport.com as we preview every aspect of Ole Miss' matchup with the Commodores throughout the week. Before diving in, here's a quick overview of the essential things to know before kickoff at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on Oct. 28.
Vanderbilt Commodores
2022 Record: 2-6 (0-4) against SEC opponents
Head coach: Clark Lea
Lea is 9-23 through two-plus seasons with the program
Offensive Leaders
QB AJ Swann
When healthy, Swann is Vanderbilt's starter after winning the job late last season. For now, his status is questionable. Swann hasn't played since Week 5's loss to Kentucky after suffering a shoulder injury.
In five games, Swann is completing 53.8 percent of his passes for 1,290 yards and 11 touchdowns against seven interceptions. In his lone SEC start, the sophomore threw three interceptions and completed a mere 40 percent of his throws.
RB Sedrick Alexander
With Ray Davis now at Kentucky, the Commodores have moved to a two-back system with Patrick Smith and Alexander. While Smith leads the team in carries (63) and yards (257), Alexander is the team's go-to option in the red zone. The freshman from Austin is averaging 3.9 yards per attempt but has a team-leading four touchdowns.
WR Will Sheppard
Sheppard returned for his senior season and has continued to produce. He's averaging 15.9 yards per reception and leads the team with eight touchdown receptions. A mere 426 yards away from becoming the first Vanderbilt receiver to finish with 1,000 receiving yards since 2013, Sheppard is looking to become the first Vandy receiver drafted since Jordan Matthews in 2014.
Defensive Leaders
DL Nate Clifton
Clifton continues to add pressure into the backfield against opposing quarterbacks. He leads the team in tackles for loss (6.0) and sacks (3.5) through seven games. Clifton also is coming off his best performance in conference play, recording three tackles and a sack against No. 1 Georgia.
LB CJ Taylor
Taylor leads the team in tackles with 52 stops and ranks second in sacks with three stops. Sneaky in coverage, Taylor also has notched two interceptions, including one against Georgia's Carson Beck in a 37-20 loss at home.
