The Fighting Tigers of LSU (#7 BCS, 8-2, 4-2 SEC) and the Rebels of Ole Miss (never, ever, ever ranked in the BCS, 5-5, 2-4 SEC) square off in Tiger Stadium this Saturday afternoon with toe-to-leather set for 2:30 pm. In a shocking decision, CBS will televise the game to a live national audience after passing on other matchups involving Jacksonville State, Georgia Southern, Samford, and Wofford. I reckon half of us don’t know what state Wofford is in.

Saturday’s contest marks the 101st meeting between LSU and Ole Miss and will be the first and only day game in Death Valley this season. Though the Tigers have won the last 8 of 10 against Ole Miss, their prior two wins in Baton Rouge have come only by a combined 9 points.

That’s because those Rebels are pesky. Always have been.

They play up to LSU and LSU plays down to them. Ole Miss historically views the LSU game as its championship since the Rebels haven’t won a conference title since the JFK administration. A win over the Tigers literally makes the Rebels’ season.

Those pesky Rebels. Many longtime readers recall that dreadful 1997 Saturday in Tiger Stadium just one week after LSU’s historic upset over #1 Florida. Ole Miss entered the game without a chance and emerged victorious. The win began a three-game series winning streak for the Rebels during the dark days of the DiNardo era in the late 1990s.

Those pesky Rebels. In 2008, one of the worst LSU seasons in recent memory, Ole Miss embarrassed the Tigers in Baton Rouge by a 31-13 score. Mississippi then beat Louisiana State in Oxford the following year.

Those pesky Rebels. How long will they remain pesky this Saturday? Under first-year coach Hugh Freeze, Ole Miss runs a fast-paced offense that could give LSU trouble if the Tigers come out flat. Georgia had its hands full against Ole Miss in Athens a few weeks ago and the Rebels are more than capable of catching LSU off-guard. Ole Miss has talent, no doubt, but is likely a year or two away from seriously competing in the SEC.

Besides, most of the Ole Miss talent will be in the stands or tailgating outside Tiger Stadium.

From the Tigers’ perspective, you have to think Les Miles favors his traditional ground-and-pound offensive approach against the undersized Ole Miss defense. Unleash some Jeremy Hill, followed by Spencer Ware, followed by Kenny Hilliard, and throw in J.C. Copeland for good measure. Run run run and open up the passing game which has improved substantially over the past two weeks, with QB Zach Mettenberger connecting on 43-of-65 passes for 571 yards and three touchdowns. And LSU’s receivers seem to have found their rhythm with Mettenberger by actually catching the football.

Expect those Rebels to stick around well into the first half, if not into the third quarter. Doesn’t matter that they lost to Vandy last week, that they’re overmatched against LSU, and that, in theory, LSU should dominate Ole Miss. The Rebels are . . . you guessed it . . . pesky!

By the way, Wofford is located in Spartanburg, South Carolina.

Prediction:

LSU 35
Ole Miss 20

Geaux Tigers!

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