LSU vs Ole Miss
Baton Rouge, LA 3:30 ET CBS
Baton Rouge, LA 3:30 ET CBS
This is the first game in what has now become the "Magnolia Bowl". Ole Miss comes into the game on a 3 game winning streak which included a 59-0 whipping of UL-Monroe, the same team that beat Alabama in Tuscaloosa last year. LSU enters the game coming off quite a scare from a decent Troy team, that at one point had a 31-3 lead. Ole Miss' last trip to Death Valley ended in a 3 point OT loss to a top 10 ranked LSU squad.
The key to this game may be the return of All American DE Greg Hardy for Ole Miss. Hardy has been hampered with a foot injury all season but reports have him saying that he's around 90%.
I look for LSU to try and get RB Charles Scott (1,071 yrds,14 TDs) going early to try and take pressure off the struggling QB Jarrett Lee (1,824 yrds 14 TD 15 INTs). Ole Miss however is 3rd in the SEC in rush defense allowing only 103.4 yrds a game. This should force Jarrett Lee into some 3rd and long situations and the pass rush will greatly be improved with the addition of a healthy Hardy.
Ole Miss will also try and open things up for Snead with the run. Look for Ole Miss to use Dexter McCluster in the Wild Rebel formation a decent amount and for a much improved Jevan Snead.
I see Ole Miss being able to stop the run and the secondary not being tested all that much. Ole Miss should cover this line and might win this game SU if LSU comes out the same way they did last game against Troy.
The Play: Ole Miss +4
