Vanderbilt Commodores vs. Ole Miss Rebels: Week 9 Keys To Victory
If it's not broken, there's no reason to fix it. That should be the mantra Ole Miss follows in Week 9 when Vanderbilt comes to Oxford for the final time in the cross-division annual rivalry.
Last season, the Rebels pummeled the Commodores in Nashville, 52-28. Passes from Jaxson Dart weren't perfect, but weren't horrendous, either. The defense allowed over 400 yards of offense, yet did manage to slow down Ray Davis in yards after contact.
What served as Ole Miss' key factor to winning? Dart's deep ball. He connected five times on passes 20+ yards downfield. Both Jonathan Mingo and Jordan Watkins torched Vanderbilt's secondary in man coverage. Even roleplayers carved out consistent reps to secure another victory in the Khaki Bowl showdown.
Will that be how No. 12 Ole Miss (6-1, 3-1 SEC) secures its seventh win of the season? Trusting the deep ball to names like Zhakari Franklin and Tre Harris? Or could this be another strong game for running back Quinshon Judkins who seemed to come alive last week?
But, of course, Vanderbilt is ready to end its six-game losing streak and has had a week to prepare coming off the bye. Is that enough to call this matchup a "trap game" for the Rebels?
Vanderbilt Commodores quarterback AJ Swann (5) throws a pass against the Kentucky Wildcats during the first half at FirstBank Stadium
Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
The Commodores will win if...
Dart gets hurt and Kiffin goes one-dimensional. Sure, it sounds cruel, but that's the one slimmer of hope for Vandy after allowing offenses like Hawaii and Kentucky to hang 28 points or more.
The other way Vandy secures the win? A look-ahead spot. This is out of Clark Lea's control, but if it happens, then the upset watch is on high alert. And certainly Ole Miss could be turning its attention to its next two matchups, knowing what's at stake.
A pesky Texas A&M defense is set to arrive at the Vaught next Saturday.
A road trip to Athens to take No. 1 Georgia lingers on the horizon.
More significant matchups often lead to programs taking their foot off the gas to save energy. The Commodores could use that to their advantage and pouce early.
Of course, the defense that allowed nearly 400 passing yards to Mizzou's Brady Cook would need to come alive for the 15 minutes to keep Dart from punching it in deep.
The Rebels will win if...
They play small ball. Look back at last season's showdown for a second. Does anyone remember who was leading at halftime?
Does anyone remember what happened in the second half?
A hot start could do wonders for a team's confidence, but it has to carry over once kickoff begins in the third quarter. Ole Miss' high tempo wore down the Commodores' front seven, thus allowing Dart to connect deep with Mingo and Wade. The ground game picked up steam, and drives were much more in sync on offense.
Vanderbilt's defense ranks 119th nationally in pass coverage. Teams convert 50 percent of the time on third down. And Vandy's offense ranks 127th nationally in time of possession at less than 26:30 per game.
The Rebels should take things slow out of the gate to tire the front seven. A few deep shots later, maybe Ole Miss is up by two scores.
It's simple: if you're the Rebels, stay the course and don't get complacent. The Aggies are a week away. Vandy is here now.
