Five Factors That Will Decide Ole Miss' Showdown With Missouri – Sports Illustrated

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There is no time for living in the past when you play in the Southeastern Conference. Of course, it was nice to right the ship and tear apart Vanderbilt last week in Nashville, but that means nothing for today's game against Missouri for the Ole Miss Rebels.
The dichotomy of the Rebels' matchups with Florida and Vanderbilt could not have been more jarring. All the wrongs made in Gainesville effectively disappeared in Nashville. Most notably, against the Gators, Kewan Lacy was unavailable due to injury; Against the Commodores, Lacy was unavailable in just the second half due to utter dominance.
The Rebels need more performances like the two they've put on in the music city this campaign, and far fewer showings like the disastrous one in Gainesville. Missouri is a formidable opponent, but Ole Miss can remind the nation what it's capable of if it can beat the Tigers at home.
No, this doesn't mean Trinidad Chambliss can take the day off. The Rebels need Chambliss as much, if not more, than ever against the Tigers. Ole Miss needs someone else on this offense to generate buzz as Chambliss does in Oxford and beyond.
Deuce Alexander is a special talent at wide receiver; there is no reason this cannot be the week that he establishes himself to the national media as a talent comparable to Ohio State's Jeremiah Smith and Miami's Malachi Toney. Alexander has been Chambliss' go-to guy this year, and with a huge week under the lights at the Vaught against a ranked opponent like Missouri, this could be Alexander's day to cement himself as one of the nation's top targets.
Kewan Lacy could do the same. There is no doubt: Lacy has all the tools to be the 'nation's best running back '; he effectively did it last year. Without injury, we would have a much clearer picture of what Lacy brings to this Rebels team, so a big showing against the Tigers could get the ball rolling on a campaign of the caliber fans saw last year.
Pete Golding spoke this week on how impressed he was with the development of the offensive line as a unit through the first few weeks of this season. The Rebels have only allowed five sacks this campaign, a testament to how well this unit has melded together, combining young players with established assets.
Terez Davis has caught much of the headlines about this unit, and for good reason. Described as "nasty" in an honorable, not disgraceful, tone, Davis is a freak athlete who moves in a way other linemen cannot.
The Rebels face their hardest opposing defensive front in Missouri, who have already taken down quarterbacks 18 times this year, headlined by Daeden Hopkins' seven. Chambliss can escape the pocket well, but a strong effort from his lineman makes winning today much easier.
No one on this Ole Miss defense is just learning the sport of football… against Florida, it sure looked like it. Jadan Baugh went wherever he wanted for the Gators, commanding their over-300-yard rushing effort.
While the Rebels looked much better in their fundamentals and tackling against Vanderbilt, one game is nowhere near enough to calm the worries that Florida presented.
Against a much stronger Tigers offense and with the shifty former Rebel Cayden Lee, tackling on the first effort and quickly rallying to the ball will be key to an Ole Miss victory.
Starting safety Edwin Joseph went down late in the third quarter with an ankle injury against Vanderbilt that required surgery over the week leading up to Missouri. Joseph, whose impact has not been hard to see for the Rebels' defense, will leave big shoes to be filled.
Nick Cull is the first name on the list to fill in for the injured Joseph. Leading the Rebels with two interceptions this campaign, Cull can take the reins temporarily and may even be good enough to never look back. This may be an opportunity to build a strong safety tandem between Joseph and Cull once the former returns from injury.
It has been said over and over leading up to the game, but Austin Simmons and Cayden Lee's returns to Oxford present a large issue for the Rebels.
They're not just former beloved Ole Miss players, the two are also really, really good.
Simmons and Lee have combined this year often, each playing key roles in Missouri's climb to No. 13 in the nation.
Formalities are for before kickoff. Once the ball is in play, all memories of Simmons and Lee in Oxford must be left in the past.
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Cooper Ferguson is a sophomore at the University of Mississippi pursuing a degree in Integrated Marketing Communications. He is a staff writer for The Daily Mississippian, covering football and soccer while contributing sports coverage for the campus community. Outside of journalism, Cooper enjoys following sports, playing golf, weightlifting, and supporting Arsenal FC.
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