It is LSU week. For Ole Miss fans, this is one of the greatest weeks of the year. Outside the Egg Bowl on Thanksgiving, there are no other games that mean more. For some, the LSU one already does. Over the last several seasons, this game has just increased in significance as Ole Miss has begun to play at the top echelons of college football. The last 2 games have come down to the final play, and three years ago, the Rebels jumped all over the Tigers in Baton Rouge just to let them storm back.
Once again, these two opponents will meet, and this time it will be a matchup of two undefeated programs, both standing at 4-0. Ole Miss ranks 13th in the country, and LSU stands at 4th. Ole Miss dismantled Tulane last week, and LSU made light work of SE Louisiana. That has set this edition of the Magnolia Bowl to be another monumental one, with the winner being in the driver's seat for a run at the College Football Playoff. When looking at the outlook of the Rebels' season, this game was circled as a major turning point. They did the work to get to this point undefeated, and now it is time to see if Lane Kiffin can pull off another big victory.
The Ole Miss vs. LSU football rivalry, also known as the Magnolia Bowl, began in 1894, making it one of the oldest rivalries in college football. The rivalry even predates the Egg Bowl. However, there have been more interruptions in the rivalry, but it has been played continuously since 1945. The game has been played 110 times over the last 130 years, and the Tigers lead the series 64-42 with 4 ties. The home team has won the last 5 meetings between these two programs, a notable advantage for the Rebels as we head towards another memorable night in the Vaught this Saturday.