Rebels vs. Tigers Week 7: Way Too Early Staff Predictions
The Ole Miss Rebels travel to Auburn, Alabama for a Week 7 matchup with the Tigers. By this time of the college football season, we'll have a clear idea of what the Tigers look like under new head coach Hugh Freeze, who takes over for the departed Bryan Harsin.
Freeze is certainly familiar with life in the SEC after a five-year stint with the Rebels from 2012 through 2016. However, he inherits a team that needs a ton of help after going 11-14 over the past two seasons.
In an attempt to expedite the improvements, Freeze and the Rebels went to the transfer portal and landed Michigan State transfer Payton Thorne to take over at quarterback. That's a good start for a program that needs all the help it can find on both sides of the ball.
Last season, the Tigers' offense ranked 11th in the SEC in scoring with 24.8 points per game and yards per play at 5.7. The passing attack was anemic as well ranking 119th in the nation.
Freeze brought in Philip Montgomery as the new offensive coordinator who hopes to inject some life into the offense with an RPO-based spread system.
The defense might have been worse than the offense last year, allowing the third-most points in program history at 29.5 points per game, good enough for 98th in the country. Auburn also gave up five 40-point games last year, the most ever for the program.
Freeze will task new defensive coordinator Ron Roberts with the responsibility of fixing the defense, but it's a project.
And now here are The Grove Report way too early staff predictions:
Timm Hamm - Staff Writer
Even though the Rebels failed to impress in the second half of last season, their last win before the 1-5 finish was over Auburn in Oxford. There will be lots of storylines for this one, including Hugh Freeze vs. Ole Miss, and the fact that this might be a close one based on last year's game. This game could be a measuring stick for both teams.
Ole Miss 28, Auburn 13
Casey Smith - Staff Writer
Ah, a game that features Ole Miss and Hugh Freeze as a head coach. All is right in the world, except now Freeze is wearing Auburn's navy blue and burnt orange. Regardless, the Lane Train is racing down the tracks into 2023 with what could be the most explosive offense in his four years in Oxford.
Auburn's defense allowed 29.5 points and 395.4 yards per game last season, and unless the Tigers' five defensive transfers can overhaul the unit next year, the Rebels may be runnin' in this one. Plus Payton Thorne needs a career about-face from what it was at Michigan State for the Tigers to be competitive. Ole Miss wins back-to-back against Auburn for the first time since the Johnny Vaught era.
Ole Miss 38, Auburn 20
Cole Thompson - Staff Writer
The Hugh Freeze Bowl is back in action, though the game is away from Oxford in 2023. Make no mistake, while Lane Kiffin is the "Portal King" of the SEC, Freeze might be the closest thing to a portal prince since his contributions to The Plains could have the Tigers contending quickly. This comes down the run game, and Quinshon Judkins will be ready to go. As of now, Jarquez Hunter isn't. A close call for Ole Miss, but a win is a win.
Ole Miss 34, Auburn 31
John Macon Gillespie - Publisher
This game will have plenty of hype surrounding it in the week(s) prior. If this one was in Oxford, I would think it's a blowout in Ole Miss' favor, but Auburn will keep this one close. Just not close enough for a win.
Ole Miss 35, Auburn 21
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