Mississippi and Oklahoma are both coming off frustrating losses, but they happened in much different fashion. The 18th-ranked Rebels (5-2, 1-2 Southeastern Conference) enter Saturday's game having lost two of their last three games, by only a field goal apiece. The Sooners (4-3, 1-3) have dropped three of four, including amid sputtering efforts that led to an offensive coordinator change.
It's Ole Miss that is still harboring hopes of making the newly expanded College Football Playoff, even if there's no margin for error remaining after a and a 20-17 defeat to Kentucky. “We're just going to get ready to bounce back this week and go out there and play a dominant game against Oklahoma,” Rebels linebacker Chris Paul Jr. said.
The Sooners are trying to get the offense jump-started with a second change at starting quarterback and an offensive coordinator switch. Coach Brent Venables the day after a 35-9 loss to South Carolina with the offense ranking last in the SEC, averaging 288.1 yards per game.
That followed a 34-3 loss to then-No. 1 Texas. Venables didn't mince words, saying the Sooners have “been an abomination on offense this year.
” Co-offensive coordinator Joe Jon Finley will take over as the primary play caller and face a big challenge. The Rebels lead the nation in rush defense, giving up an average of 66.6 yards a game, and are second in scoring defense (10.
6 points per game). “One of the most dominant defenses in all of college football this year,” Venables.
