After taking a week off to regroup, the South Carolina Gamecocks are back in action this Saturday, as they welcome the number six ranked Ole Miss Rebels to Williams-Brice for a 3:30 showdown. Lane Kiffin’s Rebels will be looking to bounce back after last week’s unexpected loss to Kentucky, while Shane Beamer and the Gamecocks will be trying to secure their first 4-1 start in over a decade.
With so much at stake for both teams, Saturday is sure to hold a ton of intrigue. Adding to this is the expected return of two key offensive players for the Gamecocks. Can the Rebels keep their playoff hopes alive, or will Carolina play the role of spoiler yet again? Let’s find out as we dive into this week’s South Carolina Gamecocks preview.
Rebels Overhyped?
The Ole Miss Rebels will enter Saturday’s contest with a four-and-one record. As was mentioned above, that one loss came last weekend in Oxford at the hands of the Kentucky Wildcats. The same Wildcats defense that Carolina torched just two weeks prior was shockingly able to hold a high-octane Ole Miss offense to just 17 points. This becomes even more jarring when you realize coming in the Rebels were averaging an absurd 55 points per contest beforehand.
Outside of NIU defeating Notre Dame, what happened last weekend is probably the biggest upset of the season thus far. Kentucky came into the game as a 17.5-point underdog, and just about everybody in America expected it to be much worse than that. So, when the Wildcats stunned the college football world people started to look around and wonder “What is wrong with Ole Miss?”
Most fell into two camps: Ole Miss is extremely overrated, or Ole Miss simply got caught sleeping and paid for it. While the first of these certainly garners more clicks online, realistically speaking the second option is much closer to reality. Simply put, the Rebels have too much talent on their roster to just not be good. Despite last week’s outcome, you can make the argument that Ole Miss still possesses the best offense in the country. This is due in large part to one man.
Jaxson Dart and the Rebel Offense
The most popular man in Mississippi currently is without question, Jaxson Dart. While playing quarterback for the top school in any state has its privileges, they become even better when you play as well as Dart. The senior gunslinger has found another gear in his third year with the Rebels. Through four games, Dart is leading the nation in passing yards, yards per attempt, and quarterback rating. He’s also top five in passing touchdowns, completion percentage, and passer rating.
While the passing game is certainly the focal point for Ole Miss, that doesn’t mean the Rebels can’t run the ball as well. In fact, they currently have the fourth most rushing touchdowns as a team and are just outside the top ten in rushing yards. The balanced nature of the Rebels’ attack is something Beamer touched on during his weekly presser on Tuesday.
“Offensively, you look at statistics, they are pretty much number one in everything right now,” Beamer said. “Quarterback is extremely talented. Very experienced. Really good group of running backs and then a really good group of wide receivers, as well. Big challenge, but that is life in the SEC every single week.”
It’s no secret that the Gamecocks strength this season has been defense. They’ll be facing an entirely different animal this Saturday though. In many ways, this will be the first true test for Carolina, and the first glimpse we get at what they are truly made of. If they are unable to contain Dart and company then things could get out of hand in a hurry.
Don’t Forget About the Defense
While the offense is certainly the bread and butter for Kiffin’s team, the Ole Miss defense has quietly become one of the better units in the country. The Rebels are currently allowing just over eight points per game. This is good enough for fifth in the nation, and third in the country. Many may look at this stat and come away a bit perplexed seeing as the Rebels defense just last year was mediocre at best.
When you look a little deeper, however, it becomes apparent that the driving force behind this turnaround is a revamped pass rush. As of this writing, the Rebels are currently tied for third in the nation in team sacks. They also rank top five in both quarterback hits and pressures. Ole Miss’ propensity to get after the quarterback is another subject that Beamer touched on.
“Really, really good up front on the defensive line,” Beamer said. “Lead the SEC in sacks. They have ends that can rush the passer. Tackles that can take over games. So, they are really good defensively.”
The Achilles heel for Carolina thus far has been poor pass protection. Granted we have seen some improvements in this department over the past couple of weeks, but it’s still a massive concern. Throw in LaNorris Sellers coming back from an ankle injury, and things could get ugly if the big guys up front can’t slow down Ole Miss. If the Gamecocks want to have a chance, the offensive line will have to win the battle in the trenches.
Carolina Injury Update
Speaking of Sellers, the redshirt freshman appeared to be full go in practice this week. There were some concerns that his recovery from that sprained ankle could take longer than expected. Once Carolina released their depth chart for the game though, these concerns melted away as Sellers was listed as the starter.
One name that is still up in the air for Carolina at this point though is star running back Raheim Sanders. Sanders is still recovering from a sprained ankle of his own and is currently listed as questionable for Saturday’s game. Having Sellers back is one thing, but Sanders being able to play would be a huge boost for the Gamecocks. It will be interesting to see how he progresses leading up to the game, and what impact he’ll be able to have if he does play.
Final Thoughts
Despite last week’s upset, Ole Miss is still without question one of the top teams in the country. Some might be tempted to look at Carolina’s matchup with Kentucky and assume the Rebels will be an easier win than most assume. This would be extremely foolish. If anything last week probably lit a huge fire under the Rebels and they’re sure to be out for blood.
That being said, the Wildcats did provide a blueprint of sorts for Carolina. Defensively, the Gamecocks must get to Dart and throw him off. Establishing the run game will also play a massive factor for Carolina when it comes to offense. Wearing down an elite Ole Miss front seven, and winning the time of possession are crucial. If the Gamecocks can do this, then we very well could see another massive upset for the Rebels.
