Ole Miss and Lane Kiffin might have two losses on their record this year, but they are still very much in the mix to make the College Football Playoff. Most teams still have four or five regular season games left on their schedule, which leaves plenty of opportunity for teams currently “ahead” of Ole Miss to lose.
Yes, Ole Miss still needs to take care of their business first by defeating Arkansas this week. Quarterback Jaxson Dart, elite wide receiver Tre Harris, and the best pass rush in football should get things done. First thing’s first. But who exactly should Ole Miss fans root for and against heading into Week 10 action of college football? Here are the top six games from this weekend that Ole Miss fans should keep their eye on as the Rebels look to push their way back into the first ever 12-Team College Football Playoff field.
No. 7 Tennessee vs Kentucky
Rooting Interest: Kentucky upsets Tennessee
Tennessee already has one loss this year and certainly hasn’t looked perfect this season. Quarterback Nico Iamaleava is struggling in his first full season as a starter, leaving the door wide open for future first round defensive tackle Deone Walker and Kentucky’s strong front to pressure him into mistakes.
Ole Miss already lost to Kentucky thanks to a poorly timed fumble and an absurd 60+ yard play on a long 4th down conversion after a push-off from wide receiver Barion Brown. If Tennessee loses in an uglier fashion that could prove crucial in deciding between the Vols and Rebels getting into the playoff.
No. 10 Texas A&M at South Carolina
Rooting Interest: South Carolina upsets Texas A&M
Texas A&M just pulled the perfect in-game switch at quarterback to defeat LSU, leaving them still undefeated in SEC play. The Aggies must lose a game (if not two) to get Ole Miss back in play to surpass them for an at-large bid. South Carolina looks like a cupcake at first glance but they are not.
The Gamecocks’ pass rush is one of the best in the nation at bringing pressure without the blitz thanks to their elite athletes on the edges in Dylan Stewart and Kyle Kennard. That should leave Debo Williams at linebacker or All-American safety Nick Emmanwori to spy Texas A&M’s mobile quarterback Marcel Reed from the box. South Carolina is a sneaky difficult matchup for the Aggies.
No. 4 Ohio State at No. 3 Penn State
Rooting Interest: Ohio State blows out Penn State
Penn State has been little brother to Ohio State for this entire century. Ohio State has defeated the Nittany Lions seven times in a row and that likely does not change this weekend. If the Buckeyes can blow out Penn State that would do wonders in making sure Ole Miss finds a key advantage in final playoff consideration. Historically, the selection committee has acted as though teams can lose games and still make the playoff, but blowout losses almost immediately mean the end. A huge loss this weekend puts Penn State one more mistake away from likely ranking below Ole Miss for an at-large bid.
No. 11 Iowa State vs Texas Tech
Rooting Interest: Texas Tech upsets Iowa State
Ole Miss’ worst nightmare for playoff hopes involves multiple teams making the field from the Big 12. That would almost assuredly lock the Rebels out. Both BYU and Iowa State are still undefeated and need to lose quickly before they arrive to the Big 12 Championship game.
BYU is off this week, so no losing for them (for now), but the Cyclones face one of their most difficult remaining opponents in Texas Tech. Iowa State barely ranks inside the Top 40 in most offensive and defensive metrics this year, so they’re certainly susceptible to a loss. Texas Tech’s high volume fast-paced offense could threaten Iowa State’s “good-not-great” defense.
No. 11 Clemson vs Louisville
Rooting Interest: Louisville upsets Clemson
Clemson already has a blowout loss on their resume to Georgia. A second loss to Louisville, and then a loss in the ACC Championship might be enough to drop them out of the field in the playoff selection committee’s eyes. The Louisville Cardinals present perhaps the most difficult remaining challenge on the regular season schedule for Clemson.
Clemson’s offense has been top ten in yards per play this year, improving drastically over the last couple seasons, but so has Louisville’s. The Cardinals are top 12 in yards per play, and bring a ton of pressure on defense. The Tigers need to lose for Ole Miss’ sake.
No. 18 Pittsburgh vs No. 20 SMU
Rooting Interest: SMU defeats Pitt in ugly game
Both Pitt (7-0) and SMU (7-1) are looking like legitimate threats to steal a final playoff spot if they keep winning. However, both teams have quarterbacks who have shown a tendency to be turnover prone. Pitt absolutely must lose a game in the regular season, otherwise it’s going to be tough to keep them out of the playoff. SMU needs to win.
However, if they win too emphatically SMU’s record and playoff bid looks vastly improved. That’s not great for Ole Miss. SMU needs to win, but only after QB Kevin Jennings coughs up a couple interceptions or fumbles, keeping this game close. Hopefully Pitt’s QB Eli Holstein throws a couple picks too just for good measure. Both passers have tossed five interceptions this season already.
