Five things to know about the Ole Miss Rebels
If Auburn football is going to pull off the upset against undefeated Ole Miss they will have to play their best game of the season.
The Rebels have not faced the toughest schedule (Troy, Central Arkansas, Georgia Tech, Tulsa, Kentucky, and Vanderbilt) but are 6-0 and look like a complete team under Lane Kiffin.
As expected their offense is capable of scoring rapibly but it is the defense that has taken a step forward under co-defensive coordinators Maurice Crum and Chris Partridge.
Auburn (3-3, 1-2 SEC) enters the game as a 14.5-point underdog and has yet to play a complete game against a Power Five opponent. They will look to change that Saturday when they face the Rebels in Oxford, Mississippi. The game is scheduled to start at 11 a.m. CT and will be on ESPN.
Here are five things to know about Ole Miss ahead of the game.
Jonathan Mingo is one of the SEC's best receivers
Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
Ole Miss may love to run the ball but Mingo is having a great season as their No. 1 wide receiver. He leads the SEC in receiving yards (507), yards per game (84.5), and average yards per catch (23.1).
The 6-foot-2, 225-pound senior is coming off a record-setting day. His 247 receiving yards last week against Vanderbilt were the most in program history. His performance was good enough for him to be named SEC Co-Offensive Player of the Week.
They have not been as aggressive on 4th down as you might expect
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Kiffin has the perception that he will go for it on fourth down anytime regardless of where he is on the field. While this has been true in years past, they have not been overly aggressive on fourth down this season.
They have attempted 10 fourth down conversions, which is the sixth in the SEC and 67th nationally.
Part of this could very well be that they have only been in two close games this season and have not needed to. They also lead the SEC in third down conversions at 53.25 percent, cutting down the number of fourth downs they face.
Auburn dominates this series
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Auburn is in complete control of this series, having a 35-11 record against the Rebels. The Tigers are currently on a six-game winning streak and have not lost in Oxford since 2012. Overall Auburn has gone 8-2 in their last 10 matchups and is 13-3 all-time at Ole Miss.
Their defense has improved
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Under Kiffin, the perception has always been that the Rebels are all offense and no defense. While this may have been true in past years, it is not the case this season.
They currently have the 11th-best scoring defense in the country, allowing just 14.5 points per game. They have been especially good against the run, allowing 3.1 yards per carry. The only blemish came when Tulsa averaged 6.1 yards per carry and racked up 262 rushing yards.
Expect to hear some familiar names
(AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
The Rebels will have some players that Auburn fans should remember from last season.
Defensive tackle J.J. Pegues and nickel back Ladarius Tennison both transferred from Auburn to Ole Miss this season and are key members of their defense.
Tennison is in the midst of his best season to date, making 23 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, recovering two fumbles, and breaking up two passes.
Pegues has made 10 tackles, one sack, and one quarterback hurry.
