SEC Preview: #23 Ole Miss at #25 LSU

The No. 23 Ole Miss Rebels (3-3, 1-2 SEC) will head to Baton Rouge this weekend where they look to take on the No. 25 LSU Tigers (4-2, 2-1 SEC) in Death Valley Saturday. The rivalry between these two teams includes a storied history as this game marks the 105th meeting between them. LSU holds the all-time record of 59-41-4 in the series.

Ole Miss is coming into this game as the only ranked team without a winning record after falling to Arkansas last week 34-30, while LSU is coming in ranked for the first time in four weeks after a 45-10 victory over Southern Mississippi.

Leonard Fournette looks to be back on the field this week after he was held out of last week’s game with an injury. LSU Head Coach Ed Orgeron said that he would be monitored during the game but will definitely be given the football. This season, Fournette has averaged 5.8 yards per carry on the ground with 386 yards and two touchdowns.

Running back Derrius Guice took most of the workload in Fournette’s absence, gaining 162 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries against Southern Mississippi.

Ole Miss Offense

Ole Miss quarterback Chad Kelly will once again lead his team in this game. He leads the SEC with 343.7 total yards per game and 308.2 passing yards per game. He’s also connected with 13 different receivers, passing touchdowns to eight of them.

While their 3-3 record may keep them from reaching the SEC Championship, Head Coach Hugh Freeze said that he continues to set goals for his team to be the best they can be in the SEC.

The Facts

• Since 2014, Ole Miss is 7-1 when coming into a game after a loss
• Chad Kelly has thrown a touchdown pass in 19 straight games, tied for the fifth-longest active streak in nation
• Ole Miss tight end Evan Engram leads all tight ends in the nation with 37 catches and 590 receiving yards
• The Rebels are third in the SEC in scoring (39.7 ppg), first in passing (320.0 ypg), and is tied for fifth nationally with three defensive touchdowns this season
• LSU has won the past eight games that they have played which started at 8 p.m. or later
• LSU is now 2-0 under Orgeron, winning both games by a combined 67 points
• After failing to score in the fourth quarter of their first four games, LSU has now scored 21 points in the fourth quarters of their last 2.
• Through six games, LSU has only allowed 10 points scored in the first quarter.
• LSU ranks No. 2 in the SEC in scoring defense (14.0 points per game), No. 3 in the SEC in total defense (312.0 yards per game), and No. 2 in rushing defense (103.7 yards per game)

The game kicks off Saturday at 8 p.m.

Facts courtesy of game notes: LSU and Ole Miss