The college football season is officially underway. Though it technically started last weekend, this will be the first full weekend of the season. While there are plenty of huge matchups taking place, there are also a few that, on paper, look less than stellar. It’s safe to say that Ole Miss vs Georgia State probably falls into that latter category.
However, college football is a sport that at times turns out to be full of the unexpected. Can the Rebels start the season strong and take care of business as expected? Or can the Panthers come out and pull off a massive upset in week one?
Previewing Ole Miss vs Georgia State
What to Expect From the Panthers
For Georgia State, they look to improve on a 3-9 season from a year ago. The season did have high moments, such as knocking off the same Vanderbilt team that later took down Alabama. But, despite that, the only other wins they mustered were over Texas State and Chattanooga.
The biggest issue for the Panthers in 2024? The defense. On the season, they gave up 35 points per game, putting them at 116 out of 134 FBS teams. Quite simply, that has to get better. Especially as they get ready to take on a team in Ole Miss that has consistently had a top-25 offense since Lane Kiffin arrived in Oxford.
On the flipside, the offense performed better, but not well enough to outpace the struggles on defense. The offense averaged 24 points per game, good for 90th in the FBS. With starting quarterback Christian Veilleux entering his second season as a Panther, and his fifth of college football, expect Georgia State to lean heavily on the pass. They did it last year, and it will likely continue into this season.
The biggest question is whether or not the Panther offensive line will be able to hold up against an Ole Miss front seven that, while rebuilt from last season, is still expected to be the strength of the defense. If they can, the offense could have the chance to turn this into a track meet. If they can’t, it could end up being a long opener.
What Can You Expect to See From Ole Miss
For the Rebels, expect a similar approach as last season. The defense is going to lean heavily on the front seven. Last year, their front seven was elite. They helped the Ole Miss defense finish in the top 15 in total defense. In terms of scoring defense, they finished second in the country, only behind the national champion Ohio State Buckeyes. This year, they find themselves having to rebuild almost all of that unit. Through fall camp, they looked decent. That is going to have to continue to improve if they want to look anything like last season’s unit.
On offense, things are likely going to change just a bit, but not too much. There will almost certainly be a renewed focus on the rushing attack. After a full offseason of being bullied by fans for not using their best running back last year, expect Kiffin and offensive coordinator Charlie Weiss Jr to bring back more of a focus on that aspect.
Then there’s Austin Simmons. Following Jaxson Dart’s departure, Simmons is set to be the starting quarterback for the Rebels. Obviously, he has huge shoes to fill. In a limited time last season, he certainly looked like an adequate replacement for Dart. With a full offseason as the starter, Simmons is facing hefty expectations.
If he plays well, there’s a good chance the offense picks up right where it left off last season. If he struggles, there could be a problem in Oxford.
Ole Miss vs Georgia State: Predictions
There are clearly a ton of questions for Ole Miss coming into the new season. How does the offense perform given the roster turnover? Can the defense continue its tremendous play from last year, given their roster losses, as well? The problem is that we may ultimately have to wait another week before we really have answers to those questions.
Talent in college football matters a great deal, as with any sport. And the talent difference between these two rosters, even with the players the Rebels lost, is vast. With this being the opener, expect some hiccups along the way for both sides. However, a game that may be close as halftime approaches is likely going to get out of hand in the second half.
Take Ole Miss to handle business and open the season on a high note.
Ole Miss 52, Georgia State 17
Main Image: Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union
