This Saturday, for Week 9 NCAA football, we preview the top ranked No. 3 Ole Miss Rebels. The Rebels are 7-0, 4-0 SEC play, and they take on SEC rival LSU Tigers 6-2, 2-2 SEC. The game will be played at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, LA at 7:15 PM ET and can be seen on ESPN TV. The early odds have the Rebels the favorites at -3 ½ with O/U 43 ½ and ML -165 on Ole Miss, +145 on the Tigers.
The experts say the statistics of the Ole Miss Rebels games may not truly tell all about the Rebels defensive strength. Last week they beat Tennessee 34-3, while their defense held the Volunteers to zero rushing yards for the game. Now the Rebels face this Saturday the Tigers, who beat the Kentucky Wildcats last Saturday 41-3.
The team leaders for the Rebels are the following: QB Wallace, who to date has completed 137 of 209 passes for 1,899 yards and scoring 17 touchdowns. RB Walton with 59 carries for 347 yards and 4 touchdowns, while Receiver Treadwell had 34 receptions for 458 yards and 4 touchdowns.
The Rebels defense, that is a mix of freshman and upperclassmen, has a lot of depth in the front line and secondary. Their senior Golson has 7 interceptions this season, leading the SEC conference and freshman Haynes has 6 ½ sacks, which is tops for the Rebels defense. They claim to be so good on defense, that their coach has changed the strategy for offense, which usually is a speed it up velocity, to more deliberate scheme and taking fewer chances.
In comparison the Tigers Leaders are these: QB Jennings with 64 of 128 passes completed for 1,048 yards and 7 touchdowns. RB Fournette has 108 carries for 544 yards with 7 touchdowns, while Receiver Dural, has 26 receptions for 665 yards and 7 touchdowns. The Tigers offense, now has deliberately went back to their bread and butter football scheme, which is controlling the clock, and playing physical football, and running the ball, as that goes along with their talented running backs.
The 2nd game I preview for this NCAA week 9 is the No.4 Alabama Crimson Tide 6-1, 3-1 SEC who are playing at unranked Tennessee Volunteers 3-4, 0-3 SEC at the Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, TN with game time at 7:30PM ET and on ESPN TV. The Tide in early Vegas odds is favorite at -17 with the O/U 46 ½.
Two weeks ago, the Tide had a game against Arkansas they would like to forget as the offense struggled in 14-13 win over the Razorbacks. Last week they played #21 Texas A&M and won 59-0, and the offense seemed to do everything right, as they dominated physically the game against the Aggies.
The offensive leaders for Alabama are QB Sims whom thus far has completed 117 of 176 passes for 1,748 yards with 13 touchdowns. RB Yeldon has 106 carries for 566 yards and 4 touchdowns, while Receiver Cooper has 62 receptions for 908 yards and 7 touchdowns. The Alabama defenses, against the run has become stronger, and now is ranked as the nation’s #2 run defense and have sacked QB’s six times so far this season. Their pass defense has had 19 sacks, led by LB Dickson, who has had 5 ½ sacks so far in 2014.
On the other side, last week the No. 3 Ole Miss Rebels offense was successful, as the Tennessee gave up 180 yards, the 2nd highest total the Volunteer defense allowed this season. On offense the Tennessee has 2 freshman starters, and has allowed 18 sacks in the last three games that they lost. In the game against Ole Miss, the Volunteers lost their RG Jackson, OT Thomas and QB Worley, who were knocked of the game, but hopefully will return this Saturday against the Tide.
The leaders offensively, for the Volunteers are QB Worley that has completed 157 of 152 passes for some 1,579 yards and 12 touchdowns. RB Hurd has 97 carries for 414 yards and 2 touchdowns, while Receiver North has 26 receptions for 264 yards and 4 touchdowns.
For our NCAA football fans who bet on college sports and are into offshore betting, the No.3 Ole Miss Rebels will next play at home the No.5 ranked Auburn Tigers on Saturday, Nov.1st 2014, which should be a really great game. Meanwhile the No.4 Alabama Crimson Tide, on the 1st of Nov. 2014 play at No.24 LSU which is always a big rivalry.