Ian Sparks
Against Tulane last weekend, the Rebels showed some remarkable resiliency on the road against a tough opponent. The Tulane defense showed up ready to play, terrorizing the Rebel offense with multiple looks and blitzes that resulted in Jaxson Dart having a tougher day than he would have liked.
The Rebels ultimately outscored the Green Wave 27-3 in the second half, but Tulane is over and done with. Now, the focus shifts to Ole Miss’ bout with Georgia Tech on Sept. 16 in Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.
This will be another reunion between Rebel defensive lineman Jared Ivey and his former squad. Last season, Ivey and the Rebels got the best of the Yellow Jackets 42-0.
Tech has had an average start to its season. The Jackets had victory snatched away in week one against Louisville, a game where they led the Cardinals by two scores at halftime. After pummeling South Carolina State last week, Head Coach Brent Key will have his hands full against the Rebel offense.
The new quarterback in Atlanta, Ga., is not exactly a stranger to Ole Miss. Haynes King, the former Texas A&M QB, has shone thus far in 2023. He threw for over 300 yards and three touchdowns against Louisville and 290 yards and four touchdowns against SC State.
One thing to look for against Tech is how much freshman linebacker Suntarine Perkins plays. The former four-star and top player in the state did not see the action that many had hoped he would against Tulane.
As for the Rebel offense, it will be a massive point of emphasis to win the battle in the trenches. There are many criticisms of the Rebels’ offensive line play against Tulane — and rightfully so. Coach Lane Kiffin is going to need to see a big improvement this week in his o-line before beginning conference play.
Look for Quinshon Judkins to have a breakout game this week. He was bottled up pretty effectively by Tulane, rushing for just 48 yards on 18 carries. While he did have a crucial touchdown that knotted the game up at 17 in the third quarter, Judkins is capable of much more.
Of course, there are worries about a game like this. A weaker opponent at home before going on the road to Alabama screams a potential trap game. That being said, Kiffin and his staff will have this in mind and keep their guys focused on the task at hand. It is always easy to look ahead to those big games, but the Rebels ought to stick to their professional mindset and take it one game at a time.
