If Ole Miss wins…
Aug 29, 2013; Nashville, TN, USA; Mississippi Rebels head coach Hugh Freeze leaves the field after a game against the Vanderbilt Commodores at Vanderbilt Stadium. The Rebels beat the Commodores 39-35. Mandatory Credit: Don McPeak-USA TODAY Sports
This possibility of an Ole Miss upset brings out more trolls on message boards than JRR Tolkien would know what to do with. Anyways, here are the five things that would happen if that should happen:
1. The Rebel offensive line dominated
Winning the line of scrimmage is critical in a game like this. If the offensive line can keep Bo Wllace’s jersey clean, he can make some plays with his arm. That will free up Jeff Scott outside and the Rebels could go for over 30 on the Tide for the first time since they last won in 2003.
2. The Nkemdiche brothers combine for at least 5.0 TFL
Denzel and Robert Nkemdiche are both explosive playmakers with egos that drive their motors. They don’t want to beat Alabama, they need to. These guys want to prove something against the Tide and this stage gives them that opportunity. If they can maximize that, they will be all over the field and will have their own pun on the morning Sportscenter.
3. Fins up
Last year’s team was described as the one that hit Alabama the hardest, per Alabama. If guys like Cody Prewitt, CJ Johnson, Mike Marry and the Nkemdiches can lay the hits on the Crimson Tide and make them the slightest bit weary, good things are in store.
4. A Mississippi-twanged “BAMA” will be heard all the way in the Delta at about 8:30 p.m. CT
Few things are enjoyed more by the Ole Miss fanbase than the victory Hotty Toddy when a win is sealed. The larger the opponent, the louder the pronoun becomes. “Hey Bulldogs”, “Hey Tigers” and “Hey Longhorns” all come to mind as some of the loudest. Imagine the stress put on “Bama” should the Rebels win. Hotty Toddy will serenade the Magnolia State’s ears while Dixie warms the hearts.
5. Ole Miss is in the driver’s seat to get to Atlanta
This may seem like jumping to a conclusion quickly, but it isn’t as farfetched as it seems. Removing conference 0-1’s Mississippi State and Auburn (sans Texas A&M) and recent AAC-victim Arkansas, the West comes down to the Aggies, Rebels, Tide and LSU Tigers. A&M is already 0-1 with a tiebreaker lost to Alabama. They have road games remaining against LSU and Ole Miss and could easily wind up at 5-3 or 6-2 in-conference with their suspect defense.
Alabama would have one loss and need to win out, including a win over LSU, and hope for two Rebel losses or a three-way tie with a BCS-tiebreaker.
LSU has No.9 UGA in Athens on Saturday along with road trips to Alabama and Ole Miss. Don’t forget they have home meetings with Texas A&M and Florida. The absolute worst draw in the SEC for the Bayou Bengals.
Ole Miss would be 2-0 and would control their own destiny. Road trips to Auburn and Starkville are manageable as long as the Rebels stay focused. Hugh Freeze & Co. will have LSU and Texas A&M at home and if they split those will still be in good shape.
If there is a three-way tie, the team with the highest BCS ranking will go to the Peach State. A&M plays both Alabama and LSU late in the season and Alabama and LSU square off late as well. That leaves a lot of clutter and losses that will drop teams in a hurry. Ole Miss on the other hand has a stretch of games where they should be favored in all five of them to close the year: Idaho, Arkansas, Troy, Missouri and at Mississippi State. If the Rebels close the SEC season 6-1, they will certainly play for a chance at their first SEC title in a half-century.