After a tumultuous 2017 season, the Ole Miss Rebels have their heads cleared and are ready for action in 2018. Led by quarterback Jordan Ta’amu and the Nasty Wide Outs, headed by the incomparable A.J. Brown, the Rebel offense is set to go into high gear this season. And their first test of the season will be against a team that’s been synonymous with prodigious offense.

The Rebels are set to face off with the Texas Tech Red Raiders on Saturday. The game will be played at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas, so it’s a bit of a ‘road’ game for the Rebels, even if it is at a “neutral” site. In fairness, it is a hearty, 533-mile jaunt from Lubbock to Houston. So it’s not like Tech is playing in their own backyard.

It will be interesting to see how things shake out for Texas Tech this season. The first game of the year may give us a glimpse as to what may come for them. They will have a new QB, RB and a whole slew of new wide receivers after several departures in the offseason. That may give Ole Miss the edge here, but Tech has always been known to have high-powered offenses no matter who’s in play. So one shouldn’t overlook them.

The lack of strong defenses on either side of the ball may make this game an entertaining contest with lots of points. Given that the total is hanging around 67-67.5, it appears that Vegas thinks the same way. As a result, you’ll probably want to keep your eyes and ears open for this one. It starts the day off, so it’s a good way to whet the appetite on the first Saturday of the college football season.

HOW TO WATCH OLE MISS VS. TEXAS TECH

Time: Noon ET/11 a.m. CT

TV: ESPN

Commentators: Mark Jones, Dusty Dvoracek, Molly McGrath

Radio: Ole Miss Football Radio Network | TuneIn

Streaming: You can find this game on WatchESPN.