No. 5 Ole Miss VS Wake Forest Preview

The No. 5 Ole Miss Rebels (2-0) are headed to Winston-Salem, North Carolina, as they take on the Wake Forest Demon Deacons (1-1) in Week 3. The game will be broadcasted on The CW Network on Saturday, September 14, at 6:30 p.m. ET.

Explosive Offenses

The Rebels started off the season in style, beating their first two opponents by a combined score of 128-3. The Demon Deacons will provide a new challenge for Ole Miss this weekend, as the ACC squad will be their first Power Five conference matchup.

The Demon Deacons are coming off of a one point loss against Virginia, where they led for majority of the game. Despite the early setback, Wake Forest will have to quickly turn their focus to Lane Kiffin’s high-powered offense this coming weekend. One key element of focus will be to limit Ole Miss senior quarterback Jaxson Dart from getting comfortable in the pocket early on in the game. The Rebels have scored on 20 out of their 27 possessions so far this season, with no signs of slowing down any time soon. Kiffin implements a fast offensive system that is extremely effective in the air, all while committing a limited amount of turnovers. Wake Forest will need to implement a solution on defense to significantly reduce the Rebels’ red zone appearances.

When asked about last Saturday’s matchup between Wake Forest and Virginia, Coach Kiffin highlights the Demon Deacons’ passing offense, which currently ranks in the top five across the nation.

Series History

This Saturday will mark the third all-time meeting between the two teams, as Wake Forest has won both previous matchups in 2006 and 2008. Head coach Dave Clawson will be looking to maintain his undefeated 4-0 record against SEC opponents, while the Rebels are storming into town with a sense of vengeance for this sold-out game.

On the road this week

🆚 Wake Forest
🗓️ Sep. 14
🕕 5:30 PM CT
📺 The CW#HottyToddy pic.twitter.com/Vx9STI3eRR

— Ole Miss Football (@OleMissFB) September 9, 2024

Road Challenges

Rankings can be an object of distraction for successful teams, especially early on in the season. Kiffin understands that while his players do not have much experience playing away from Oxford together, he believes this will be a learning experience for his squad. The Rebels will look to tighten up on their pass coverage, as Wake Forest will be the best passing attack they have faced to this point in the season,

Kiffin also noted that numerous Ole Miss offensive linemen, who have been previously unavailable this season, may have an opportunity to return and make an immediate impact in Winston-Salem.

This weekend’s ACC/SEC showdown will kick off at 6:30 p.m. ET on The CW Network.