First Look: Ole Miss Rebels

OLE MISS: HOW THEY GOT HERE

The Rebels are 3-3 on the year and 2-2 in the SEC. Following a season-opening loss on the road to Memphis, Ole Miss toppled Arkansas and Southeastern Louisiana at home. 

They have since dropped three of their last four games, with two of those coming to ranked opponents (20-28 to then No. 23 Cal and 59-31 at then No. 2 Alabama).

In its last outing, Ole Miss fell 38-27 on the road to Missouri. The third quarter doomed the Rebels, as Mizzou turned a 12-7 halftime advantage into a 35-14 lead. QB John Rhys Plumlee (23 carries, 147 yards, 2 touchdowns) led the ground attack while also throwing for 103 yards and two TDs in the loss.

FAMILIAR SETTING

It's year eight for Texas A&M in the SEC, and Vaught-Hemingway Stadium is the Aggies' most familiar true road venue in the conference to this point.

2019 marks A&M's fifth trip to Oxford since joining the league. The Aggies have won on three of their previous four trips to Ole Miss, all one-score victories (2012, 2013, 2017). Texas A&M's lone loss in Oxford in the SEC era came in 2015.

OLE MISS COACH MATT LUKE

Matt Luke is in his third year as the head coach at his alma mater, Ole Miss. He has led the Rebels to 14 victories and, in 2018, his team finished amongst the top 20 nationally in multiple statistical categories including total offense, passing yards per completion, passing efficiency, fumbles lost and defensive touchdowns.

During his 25 years as a player and coach at the collegiate level, Luke has risen through the ranks while learning from a number of successful veteran coaches. He has worked alongside national champion Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer, Duke head coach David Cutcliffe and former Ole Miss head coach Tommy Tuberville, among others. 

COACHING CONNECTIONS

Two Aggie coaches have ties to Ole Miss.

Linebackers coach Bradley Dale Peveto served in the same capacity at Ole Miss in 2017, while defensive line coach Terry Price was a member of two different Ole Miss staffs (1995-98 and 2009-11).

OLE MISS: OFFENSE

Ole Miss ranks second in the SEC and 19th nationally in rushing offense, averaging 230.0 yards per game. In SEC play, the Rebels have run for a league-best 1,133 yards and nine touchdowns. Ole Miss has averaged 50 carries per conference game, over 15 more carries per game more than the league average, and their 413 yards rushing vs. Vanderbilt during Week 6 were the most by Ole Miss against an SEC opponent since 1979.

In just four appearances and three career starts, QB John Rhys Plumlee has put up some record-breaking numbers on the ground. Plumlee has carried the ball 73 times for 470 yards and four touchdowns. He’s the first Power 5 QB to rush for 100 or more yards in each of his first three starts since Nebraska’s Taylor Martinez and Michigan’s Denard Robinson in 2010. Through four SEC games, Plumlee leads the conference in both yards (417), attempts (70) and rushing touchdowns (four).

OLE MISS: DEFENSE

The Ole Miss defense currently ranks 34th in the NCAA in rushing defense, allowing 118.4 yards per game. Ole Miss has held four of its last six opponents to under 70 yards rushing, including limiting Vanderbilt to just 62 yards on the ground in the Rebels’ during Week 6. In Weeks 2, 3 and 4, the Rebels held their opponents to 61, 66 and 60 yards respectively. It was the first time since 1999 that Ole Miss had allowed 70 or less rushing yards in three straight games.

DB Keidron Smith has been very hot the last two weeks. After being targeted twice a week ago without allowing a completion, he repeated that feat this week with the four passes thrown his way. Smith has broken up three passes in the last two weeks and earned an 83.9 coverage grade in the process. During that time, Smith has been targeted six times in coverage and has allowed zero receptions with a passer rating when targeted of 39.6. Smith’s coverage grade over the last two weeks of 83.9 ranks No. 1 in the SEC among CBs. Smith has played in 56.8 percent of his team’s defensive snaps this season.