COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — One loss won't end the championship hopes of No.
12 Mississippi, no matter how bad the Rebels' offense looked in falling to Kentucky. Mississippi coach Lane Kiffin told his team just that this week as it prepared to face South Carolina (3-1, 1-1 Southeastern Conference). Nothing, not the SEC title or a spot in the College Football Playoff, is off the table after the 20-17 loss to the Wildcats.
Kiffin said he told them, “Just because you get all those questions, understand everything that you want to do is still there.” The same might be true for the Gamecocks, who blew a 17-0 lead at home to No. 13 LSU before falling in the last two minutes, 36-33, three weeks ago.
South Carolina coach Shane Beamer, even after his team's 50-7 win over Akron and a bye week, has not fully let go of that LSU loss where the Gamecocks had two apparent pick-six interceptions called back due to penalties. The best way to put that in the past, Beamer believes, is another strong effort Saturday against Ole Miss (4-1, 0-1). The Gamecocks had a bye last week, giving Beamer the chance to watch Kentucky take down the Rebels, who lead the SEC in total offense but were held to 353 yards — more than 250 fewer than their average — by the Wildcats.
Beamer came away impressed with both teams, not a potential blueprint for victory. “I walked out of that game thinking, ‘You know what, we knew Kentucky was a good team when we played them,’” Beamer said. “Then, I also walke.