🏈 Colin Cowherd: Ole Miss will beat Vandy and Texas, and finish with 9 or 10 wins -

[BAMANEWSBOT]

Hugh Freeze spent a week in April during the Rebel Road Trip visiting with Ole Miss alums and boosters in various cities such as Houston, Memphis, Atlanta, New Orleans, and Jackson.

While Ole Miss received high praise for its heralded recruiting class in February, Freeze warned Rebel fans to remain realistic about expectations for the 2013 season.

Freeze believes the Rebels are not "out of the wilderness" just yet.

At one point, he told the Clarion-Ledger, "I told everyone and people - we got to be realists. We're still a little ways away from having the depth for this league. We were so fortunate last year. We played three receivers pretty much the whole year, five offensive linemen pretty much the whole year."

Well, Freeze didn't get any help today.

ESPN's Colin Cowherd believes Vegas has totally missed the boat on the Rebels by setting the Over/Under on wins in 2013 at 8.5 for the Rebels.

Cowherd said on Thursday morning, "Did you see how they destroyed Pittsburgh in the bowl game?"

"They return a bunch of juniors and seniors on offense. That really helps early in the season when you have 20-year-old guys who know a system. "

Cowherd says the Rebels will beat Vanderbilt and Texas, win either the LSU or Texas A&M game, and finish with 9 or 10 games.

Oh boy.

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[BamaCore]

I also remember him saying that Ole Miss was a "lock" to get in a BCS game a few years back. I like Cowherd at times, but some times he just goes WAAAAAAAY off into the deep end with little to no fact backing him up.

 

[TerryP]

I also remember him saying that Ole Miss was a "lock" to get in a BCS game a few years back. I like Cowherd at times, but some times he just goes WAAAAAAAY off into the deep end with little to no fact backing him up.

His reasoning with returning upper classmen carries some weight. I don't think it's a big stretch to say they can pull one of the two games against LSU or A&M out either.

His premise is betting the over on eight wins? I wouldn't touch that. It's 8-4 team as I see it. What caught my attention was his claim they'd be fourth in the West which should translate into an eight win season in most circumstances.

Beating Texas and Vandy? Again, wouldn't touch that.

It wouldn't be a shock if Ole Miss is 1-3 following our game the last week of September.

 

[rammerjammer]

TP, I know you are a big number cruncher.......so let me preface this with the fact that this is strictly a gut feeling.


The thing that sticks out to me about Ole Miss is the fact that they just wouldn't go away last year. It took a long time to put them away last year. While I think something is rotten in Denmark when it comes to recruiting, because 5* don't flock to Oxford, I have to hand it to Freeze because last years team was scrappy and never gave up. I honestly think that game will be more difficult for us than traveling to College Station.

 

[TerryP]

TP, I know you are a big number cruncher.......so let me preface this with the fact that this is strictly a gut feeling.


The thing that sticks out to me about Ole Miss is the fact that they just wouldn't go away last year. It took a long time to put them away last year. While I think something is rotten in Denmark when it comes to recruiting, because 5* don't flock to Oxford, I have to hand it to Freeze because last years team was scrappy and never gave up. I honestly think that game will be more difficult for us than traveling to College Station.

There's nothing here I disagree with, but I do question your last sentence.

It very well may be the case. I tend to think the team will be prepared for Ole Miss and that the game in College Station will serve to help in that regard. Having Colorado State the prior week gives a little more prep time and should translate to some quality rest as well.

Just as a side note:

Ole Miss has won one game on the road against Bama in the last 50 years. And I'm still pissed off at Bill Curry because of that loss.

 

[bamaraider]

Ole Miss @ Auburn

I just see OM losing this game. Their QB being turnover prone, their defense is not all that good, and beating Auburn in Jordan Hare is never easy...

Also, have you seen their stretch from Texas-LSU??? @Texas, bye week, @Alabama, @Auburn, home games versus A&M and LSU...My god...Brutal. I won't go as far as saying they'll play Alabama tougher than A&M, but I think that will be a game that will go down to the 4th.

 

[Bamabww]

I just don't think they'll play with the big boys week in and week out. I see a 7-5 season with all those loses occurring in that brutal stretch Bamaraider pointed out. No way they are deep enough to survive that intact, imo.

 

[planomateo]

Most legit TAMU fans will tell you that the Ole Miss is their trap game.

 

[TerryP]

Most legit TAMU fans will tell you that the Ole Miss is their trap game.

That's odd.

Trap games are defined by looking ahead a week or coming off of an emotion high the previous week. Is the bye week their emotional high? The game at Arkansas the week before that? SMU three weeks prior?

Or are they looking forward to hosting Auburn the following week? Or hosting Vandy the week after that?

I don't see a trap game on their schedule. Bama is sandwiched between Sam Houston and SMU. LSU sandwiched between a bye week and Mizzou.

 

[planomateo]

Trap game was a poor choice of wording, what I mean is the game not to be overlooked.

 

[TerryP]

Trap game was a poor choice of wording, what I mean is the game not to be overlooked.

That makes a little more sense. Though, you know what strikes me about that comment? It's the kind of mind frame that allows a Miss. State team to take you to the fourth quarter.

I wonder how much of an effect some of those wins last year has had on the team and their fan base?

Take Auburn for example. I can see them looking at 63 points scored and expecting another huge offensive performance. I can see the amount of youth on that team compounding that feeling of superiority. Yet, I can also see they allowed Auburn to score 21 points.

I expect to see improvement from Auburn this fall. Not to the point of pulling out wins against some of the bigger opponents they lost to last year, but I don't expect them to quit like they did last year.

That's the kind of game that could end up being decided in the second half.

 

[TerryP]

Yes, I have an issue with SDS's title as well.

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Texas A&M’s biggest “trap” game



If you were to circle a “trap” game on the 2013 schedule for Texas A&M, look no further than the October 12th meeting against Ole Miss in Oxford. It took last minute heroics and a timely interception last season for the Aggies to escape Vaught-Hemingway with a 30–27 victory.

Because of Southeastern Conference realignment, the Aggies will have to travel to Ole Miss again—just like the Rebels have to play Alabama in Tuscaloosa again.

Vaught-Hemingway will be a welcome sight for Ole Miss when they tangle with the Aggies on October 12th in a re-match of last season’s thriller, as it will be the Rebels’ second home game of the season through six games.

The Aggies will have a bye the week before hitting the road for the second time of the season to play Ole Miss, and will likely be 5-0 or 4-1 on the young season—with the only threat of a loss being Alabama in week three. That being said, the Aggies could possibly adorn a No. 1 ranking if they can topple Alabama again and coast past SMU and Arkansas as they gear up for the Rebels.

Both Kevin Sumlin and Hugh Freeze exceeded expectations in their first seasons as head coach of each team, with Sumlin leading the Aggies to an 11-2 record, producing a Heisman quarterback in the process, and a Cotton Bowl victory over Oklahoma. Freeze led the Rebels to a 7-6 record and a BBVA Compass Bowl win over Pittsburgh.

The Rebels’ toughest part of their schedule is undoubtedly through the first six games, as it opens the season on the road against Vanderbilt, then enjoys a cupcake at home against Southeast Missouri State University, and then plays three tough road games at Texas, Alabama and Auburn.

Ole Miss will be much improved this season with Bo Wallace returning at quarterback, and leading rusher Jeff Scott and leading receiver Donte Moncrief returning—not to mention a Rivals No. 7 recruiting class headlined by the No. 1 recruit in the nation, Robert Nkemdiche, and five-star recruits Laquon Treadwell and Laremy Tunsil.

The Rebels have enough talent to win games and challenge every team it plays, but they also have two or three challenging games they could lose before playing the Aggies October 14 to fuel their fire. If the Aggies beat Alabama and are undefeated going into Ole Miss, and the Rebels have a loss or two as they return home for the second time all season, does that make Ole Miss the scariest team on the Aggies’ schedule that they could fall trap to?

The bull’s eye and the possible No. 1 ranking will be illuminating on the Aggies’ back when the team bus pulls into Vaught-Hemingway.
Football is all about matchups, and if last season’s game is any indication of how the Rebels matchup to the Aggies, you have to like the Rebels’ chance in 2013. It is a trap Coach Sumlin and the Aggies will try not to fall victim to.

Last year’s 30–27 Aggie victory was the catalyst of the season: The turning point of a young coaching staff and the boost of confidence that carried with redshirt freshman quarterback Johnny Manziel all season.

Ironically, the 2013 Texas A&M vs. Ole Miss game will again be the catalyst for both teams, as both the Aggies and Rebels will be trying to punch their tickets to Atlanta for the SEC Championship game.

 

[bearsnest]

I think both Ole Miss and Auburn will be games we have to give our best effort and win in the 4th, this is Ole Miss and Auburns national championship game that is they will give more effort to winning this game than any other, however one could also say that to all the other remaining teams on the schedule except the couple of games we outclass by light years in talent. I honestly believe if we can run the ball like I think we can this year (behind our rebuilt offensive line) I think we can move the ball at will on A&M, they lost a ton on defense and keeping Jonny Foolsball and company on the sideline pretty much beats them. I think as always LSU is going to be another tough game, and playing at the Barn this year is going to be tough, and the Barners hate us right now worse than any time I can ever remember in history (and I have enjoyed every minute of it) and they will be louder than ever and if given an ounce of momentum its going to explode, I dont necessarily think this is all because of Gus the Bus, its just because this will always be a tough game especially now that the Barn has vengeance on their minds, I just hope we dont ever forget the damn thumb!