Is Ole Miss for Real Now?
by Year2 on Oct 27, 2009 12:00 PM EDT
in Football
2 comments
After starting the season a disappointing 3-2, Ole Miss has had a blistering couple of weeks. They jumped out to a 42-0 lead on the way to blowing out UAB 48-13, and they handled the Hogs 30-17 last weekend. For two weeks anyway, the Rebels have finally looked like the preseason predictions thought they would.
Is it a mirage, or have they really turned the corner?
For now I'm going to set aside the UAB win. The Blazers were similarly blown out by Texas A&M, and those Aggies aren't exactly a picture of perfection. Dismissing UAB like that qualifies Ole Miss for being better, because a middling win would have meant bad things, but it doesn't prove anything conclusively. Instead, let's run down Non Sketchy Win Checklist for their victory over Arkansas:
The Non-Sketchy Win Checklist
- Won by at least two scores? Check: they beat Arkansas by 13.
- Command of yardage total? Check: they outgained Arkansas 553-299.
- Efficient gaining of yards? Check: 10.1 yards per pass and 4.7 yards per rush.
- Great defensive success? Check: Arkansas was held well below their average point and yardage totals.
- Third down success? Check: they converted nine of 15.
- No crazy turnovers in their favor? Check: they actually turned it over three times and didn't get one from the Hogs.
- No extenuating circumstances for opponent? No check: Arkansas had its heart broken the previous week.
- Repeatable performance? No check: Both Jevan Snead and Dexter McCluster set career records, and that's not sustainable.
Not a bad score overall for Ole Miss. They were in control for most of the game, and the only fluky score was actually a long tipped-pass touchdown for the Razorbacks. They handily outgained Arkansas while holding them below their normal output. Only the last two counts cause concern.
Arkansas was due for a let down game after coming so close to beating Florida on the road the previous week, especially since Florida got some help from the refs (not saying UF loses without the calls, but they saved the Gators some trouble). The Pigs also had a hold over issue from that game in Gainesville that got worse. Arkansas' receivers dropped five or six passes against Florida and then dropped even more (eight, according to Dave Neal) in Oxford.
The other thing is that not just one, but two Rebels had career days. Snead had his first ever 300 yard passing game, and McCluster set personal bests in both rushing yards and receiving yards. Don't get me wrong; it's very encouraging to see those guys have breakout games and each has a lot of talent. However, the fact that both set high water marks could mean that Arkansas' defense is simply back to it's bad, old form. Plus, you can't expect anyone to play at the highest end of their ability every game.
Ultimately, I don't know if we can say yet that Ole Miss is now who we thought they would be. These past two games for the Rebels have been great, but it's going to take more than that to say that they've solved all their problems. We may not even be able to say that after this week's game since they are visiting the free falling Auburn Tigers.
If I was an Ole Miss fan, I'd definitely be excited by these two big wins (especially given how much Arkansas fans talk about Houston Nutt). It's certainly better to have two big wins than not. However, let's give them a little more time before we say they're really back in last season's Cotton Bowl-winning form for good.
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There was a good comment on this article at the red cup.
The gist of it is that your article has some points, but if we win out, people will still find excuses as to why Ole Miss benefitted from other people’s errors. Find some reason to say that Ole Miss isn’t good. This week, one may say, “Auburn is tanking anyway.” Then an easy win over Univ. Northern Arizona and Ole Miss is 7-2 going into the LSU game. We beat LSU, and everyone screams, “LSU was overrated.” Then, we beat an overmatched Miss State team and finish 10-2. Will we ever get credit?
I agree with you in that we don’t deserve it yet, but I hope you are willing to give it when it is due.
I pasted his comment here because I couldn’t figure out how to link it:
Goddammit, I’m sick of every win getting pissed on and every loss being the End of Days. What the fuck, exactly, does Ole Miss have to do to earn any lasting respect?
Here have been the most common memes after every Ole Miss game this season:
Rebs 45, Memphis 14: Sloppy thumping of a terrible C-USA school. Meh.
Rebs 52, SELA 6: Get to South Carolina already. Double-meh.
USC 16, Rebs 10: Ole Miss was the most overrated team in the country. They deserve to be crucified. Sowell needs a team beating like Private Pyle in Full Metal Jacket. Same ol’ sorry Rebs. Vandy’s going to be tough because they always play hard against Ole Miss. Rebs have very real chance to start SEC 0-3.
Rebs 23, Vandy 7: Hey, even State beat Vandy. Snead’s still bad. Meh.
Bama 22, Rebs 3: Season is all but over now; Snead is hopelessly lost; A thoroughly disappointing Ole Miss team should now be worried about a sneaky-good UAB team that, you know, really ought to be undefeated right now.
Rebs 48, UAB 13: UAB is just another terrible C-USA team. Meh. Did you see the Hogs? They almost beat Florida! They score a ton of points and they’re defense is getting better every game! They’re going to roll over us like the doormats we’ve always been. It could get ugly.
Rebs 30, Arkansas: 17: Hogs were overrated and flat after heartbreaking loss at Florida. They have the worst defense in the SEC. Meh.
So, I predict going forward:
Rebs beat Auburn: Auburn is tail-spinning anyway and out-of-condition. Meh.
Rebs beat N. Arizona: Who? Triple-meh.
Rebs beat Tennessee: Ole Miss held serve at home against a mediocre team that’s rebuilding this year. No surprize here. Meh.
Rebs beat LSU: LSU was almost as overrated as Ole Miss was. Hell, State should have beaten them. Meh.
Rebs beat MSU: So you beat up the second-worst team in the league. Meh.
Rebs beat Ohio State/Iowa/Wisconsin in Capital One/Outback Bowl: This game meant everything to Ole Miss and nothing to the Big 10 school. Whoever we play is overrated and probably bummed they didn’t make it to the Rose Bowl anyway. Meh.
Final record: 11-2
Final rank: Top 12
Final opinion: Ole Miss will certainly take it, but with that easy schedule, meh, they should’ve been even better.
That’s the way it fucking seems sometimes.
—RobRob9 on RCR
by BrianWalker'sElbow on Oct 28, 2009 9:40 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
There is a good comment on your article on RCR
There was a good comment on this article at the red cup.
The gist of it is that your article has some points, but if we win out, people will still find excuses as to why Ole Miss benefitted from other people’s errors. Find some reason to say that Ole Miss isn’t good. This week, one may say, "Auburn is tanking anyway." Then an easy win over Univ. Northern Arizona and Ole Miss is 7-2 going into the LSU game. We beat LSU, and everyone screams, "LSU was overrated." Then, we beat an overmatched Miss State team and finish 10-2. Will we ever get credit?
I agree with you in that we don’t deserve it yet, but I hope you are willing to give it when it is due.
I pasted his comment here because I couldn’t figure out how to link it:
An excuse for every positive
Goddammit, I’m sick of every win getting pissed on and every loss being the End of Days. What the fuck, exactly, does Ole Miss have to do to earn any lasting respect?
Here have been the most common memes after every Ole Miss game this season:Rebs 45, Memphis 14: Sloppy thumping of a terrible C-USA school. Meh.
Rebs 52, SELA 6: Get to South Carolina already. Double-meh.
USC 16, Rebs 10: Ole Miss was the most overrated team in the country. They deserve to be crucified. Sowell needs a team beating like Private Pyle in Full Metal Jacket. Same ol’ sorry Rebs. Vandy’s going to be tough because they always play hard against Ole Miss. Rebs have very real chance to start SEC 0-3.
Rebs 23, Vandy 7: Hey, even State beat Vandy. Snead’s still bad. Meh.
Bama 22, Rebs 3: Season is all but over now; Snead is hopelessly lost; A thoroughly disappointing Ole Miss team should now be worried about a sneaky-good UAB team that, you know, really ought to be undefeated right now.
Rebs 48, UAB 13: UAB is just another terrible C-USA team. Meh. Did you see the Hogs? They almost beat Florida! They score a ton of points and they’re defense is getting better every game! They’re going to roll over us like the doormats we’ve always been. It could get ugly.
Rebs 30, Arkansas: 17: Hogs were overrated and flat after heartbreaking loss at Florida. They have the worst defense in the SEC. Meh.So, I predict going forward:
Rebs beat Auburn: Auburn is tail-spinning anyway and out-of-condition. Meh.
Rebs beat N. Arizona: Who? Triple-meh.
Rebs beat Tennessee: Ole Miss held serve at home against a mediocre team that’s rebuilding this year. No surprize here. Meh.
Rebs beat LSU: LSU was almost as overrated as Ole Miss was. Hell, State should have beaten them. Meh.
Rebs beat MSU: So you beat up the second-worst team in the league. Meh.Rebs beat Ohio State/Iowa/Wisconsin in Capital One/Outback Bowl: This game meant everything to Ole Miss and nothing to the Big 10 school. Whoever we play is overrated and probably bummed they didn’t make it to the Rose Bowl anyway. Meh.
Final record: 11-2
Final rank: Top 12
Final opinion: Ole Miss will certainly take it, but with that easy schedule, meh, they should’ve been even better.That’s the way it fucking seems sometimes.
—RobRob9 on RCR
by BrianWalker'sElbow on Oct 28, 2009 9:42 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
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