Ole Miss vs. Auburn

[AU Ivory_dealer 2]

One thing you mention here I find worthy of note: projecting Ole Miss to hit that eight / nine win mark. Nine would be an improvement. Eight is "being Ole Miss."

Think about this for a second. If we go back twenty years you'll see that program was averaging seven wins per year. Now, we're playing one more game per season and they're looking at one more win next season.

7 wins in the SEC West 20 years ago versus 8 wins now=2 completely different things. Bama then Auburn was tough for a 3 year stretch but neither one at the same time.Plus the division did not have the depth of quality teams then as it does now. 7 wins in the West then was much easier than 8 in the West now.

yah the days of "yeah I know we will win six at least..." Are over for all these days. Well, for most.

In my Harry Carrey voice:

Heck! Even Vanderbilt is tough! Who'd uh thunk it? Huh? (With head shaking)

[SumterAubie 3,086]

One thing you mention here I find worthy of note: projecting Ole Miss to hit that eight / nine win mark. Nine would be an improvement. Eight is "being Ole Miss."

Think about this for a second. If we go back twenty years you'll see that program was averaging seven wins per year. Now, we're playing one more game per season and they're looking at one more win next season.

7 wins in the SEC West 20 years ago versus 8 wins now=2 completely different things. Bama then Auburn was tough for a 3 year stretch but neither one at the same time.Plus the division did not have the depth of quality teams then as it does now. 7 wins in the West then was much easier than 8 in the West now.

yah the days of "yeah I know we will win six at least..." Are over for all these days. Well, for most.

In my Harry Carrey voice:

Heck! Even Vanderbilt is tough! Who'd uh thunk it? Huh? (With head shaking)

LOL. I was always more a Harry fan than a Cubs fan. The Cubbies were the perfect subject matter for Harry.

[StatTiger 3,188]

Heck, even in their glory years with Johnny Vaught they had fewer up years than they did mediocre seasons. That's the best coach they've had walk the sidelines in Oxford and still they were looking at roughly 60% of his years being in that seven and eight win season category.

From 1952-1970 (19 years), Ole Miss had the nation's best win percentage at 77 percent. This included 5 SEC titles and 3 MNC. I don't believe there is a 19-year period in Auburn football that can match much less best the Rebel's run under Vaught. 1983-2001, Auburn won 70 percent of their games with 4 SEC titles. 1986-2004 was .702 with 4 SEC titles.

[WarTiger 4,018]

Since 1972 Ole Miss has won 8 or more games in a season NINE times. That's NINE times in 40 years. No matter how you slice it, Ole Miss is a middle of the pack program at best. 7 wins in 2012 and they only defeated TWO teams all season that had winning records. Those 2 were Central Arkansas and Mississippi State. It's going to take a lot more than that before I consider ole Miss a threat to anything. Let's look at the times that Ole Miss has beaten Auburn since the SEC went to the divisions in 1992..... Ole Miss defeated Auburn in 1992, Auburn was 5-5-1. 1999, Auburn was 5-6, 2003, Auburn was 8-5, 2008, Auburn was 5-7, and in 2012, Auburn was 3-9. That means only ONCE (out of the 10 wins Ole Miss has over Auburn) has Ole Miss beaten an Auburn team with a winning record.

[AUEngineer2016 407]

Since 1972 Ole Miss has won 8 or more games in a season NINE times. That's NINE times in 40 years. No matter how you slice it, Ole Miss is a middle of the pack program at best. 7 wins in 2012 and they only defeated TWO teams all season that had winning records. Those 2 were Central Arkansas and Mississippi State. It's going to take a lot more than that before I consider ole Miss a threat to anything. Let's look at the times that Ole Miss has beaten Auburn since the SEC went to the divisions in 1992..... Ole Miss defeated Auburn in 1992, Auburn was 5-5-1. 1999, Auburn was 5-6, 2003, Auburn was 8-5, 2008, Auburn was 5-7, and in 2012, Auburn was 3-9. That means only ONCE (out of the 10 wins Ole Miss has over Auburn) has Ole Miss beaten an Auburn team with a winning record.

Did StatTiger just get out-stat-ed?

(JK Stat, you're AUsome!)

[RunInRed 18,353]

Damn WT, bringing your "A" game ... good stuff.

[Warbird82 160]

I think it wil lmost likely be a good game. I want to think that Auburn will be able to handle them but we'll have to be much improved over last year for that to happen. I'd like to think we'd have undeniably more talent than they have an with equal coaching we could simply over power them but think that will be the case. The problems the mississippi schools have is with talented depth. I beleive their first line rotation is on par with everyone else. Its when they have injuries that its hard for them to compete because they just can't pull in the quantity of quality players that other schools can.

I agree it should be an entertaining game and likely high a shootout unless Ellis really turns or D around.

yep, on the depth that's why it is my thought that his successes will be continue to be hit and miss until he gets a couple more of those quality classes in the fold. Should be interesting to follow. I like Auburn as well against them at home but it wont be a walk over by any stretch of the imagination IMO

It really depends on whether their QB comes back healthy from the shoulder surgery he had in the off season...he was 100% last year and they did OK...if he's less than what he was last year, then they'll drop a couple more games...imnsho.

[StatTiger 3,188]

Since 1972 Ole Miss has won 8 or more games in a season NINE times. That's NINE times in 40 years. No matter how you slice it, Ole Miss is a middle of the pack program at best. 7 wins in 2012 and they only defeated TWO teams all season that had winning records. Those 2 were Central Arkansas and Mississippi State. It's going to take a lot more than that before I consider ole Miss a threat to anything. Let's look at the times that Ole Miss has beaten Auburn since the SEC went to the divisions in 1992..... Ole Miss defeated Auburn in 1992, Auburn was 5-5-1. 1999, Auburn was 5-6, 2003, Auburn was 8-5, 2008, Auburn was 5-7, and in 2012, Auburn was 3-9. That means only ONCE (out of the 10 wins Ole Miss has over Auburn) has Ole Miss beaten an Auburn team with a winning record.

It works both ways. Auburn is 9-0 vs. Ole Miss teams with losing records but 7-5 with Ole Miss teams with a winning record from 1992-2012. Regardless of their past, it still doesn't mean they cannot put together a solid season in 2013 coming off a 7-6 rebuilding year. I don't think anyone is expecting Ole Miss to win the West much less the SEC or to be a championship program. I do believe the potential is there for them to have a 9-win season in 2013. We shall see...

[StatTiger 3,188]

It really depends on whether their QB comes back healthy from the shoulder surgery he had in the off season...he was 100% last year and they did OK...if he's less than what he was last year, then they'll drop a couple more games...imnsho.

I agree. Wallace was the No. 37 rated passer in 2012. He needs to be close to top-25 material for the Rebs to win 9 games in 2013.

[japantiger 4,117]

Since 1972 Ole Miss has won 8 or more games in a season NINE times. That's NINE times in 40 years. No matter how you slice it, Ole Miss is a middle of the pack program at best. 7 wins in 2012 and they only defeated TWO teams all season that had winning records. Those 2 were Central Arkansas and Mississippi State. It's going to take a lot more than that before I consider ole Miss a threat to anything. Let's look at the times that Ole Miss has beaten Auburn since the SEC went to the divisions in 1992..... Ole Miss defeated Auburn in 1992, Auburn was 5-5-1. 1999, Auburn was 5-6, 2003, Auburn was 8-5, 2008, Auburn was 5-7, and in 2012, Auburn was 3-9. That means only ONCE (out of the 10 wins Ole Miss has over Auburn) has Ole Miss beaten an Auburn team with a winning record.

It works both ways. Auburn is 9-0 vs. Ole Miss teams with losing records but 7-5 with Ole Miss teams with a winning record from 1992-2012. Regardless of their past, it still doesn't mean they cannot put together a solid season in 2013 coming off a 7-6 rebuilding year. I don't think anyone is expecting Ole Miss to win the West much less the SEC or to be a championship program. I do believe the potential is there for them to have a 9-win season in 2013. We shall see...

Stat War! This is getting intense...

[Warbird82 160]

Mississppi's 2012 schedule, score and opponent's record.

Opponent score Opponent’s record

Central Arkansas 49-27 W 9-3

UTEP 28-10 W 3-9

Texas 31-66 L 9-4

Tulane 39-0 W 2-10

bamr 14-33 L 13-1

Texas A&M 27-30 L 11-2

Auburn 41-20 W 3-9

Arkansas 30-27 W 4-8

Georgia 10-37 L 12-2

Vandy 26-27 L 9-4

LSU 35-41 L 10-3

State 41-24 W 8-5

Pitt 38-17 W 6-7

Nothing here indicates Ole Miss has turned a corner, other than being one game over .500. The schedule is dotted with weak non conference teams and they took advantage of Auburn & Arkansas being down.

Looking at their 2013 schedule OM could easily have a losing record this year.

^^^This^^^ Four of their six losses were on the road...they lost at home to Vandy and were blown out by a mediocre Texas team too. Not sure they have turned the corner yet...but I do know that we play them at JHS and that alone gives me a lot of confidence.

[ellitor 33,782]

Since 1972 Ole Miss has won 8 or more games in a season NINE times. That's NINE times in 40 years. No matter how you slice it, Ole Miss is a middle of the pack program at best. 7 wins in 2012 and they only defeated TWO teams all season that had winning records. Those 2 were Central Arkansas and Mississippi State. It's going to take a lot more than that before I consider ole Miss a threat to anything. Let's look at the times that Ole Miss has beaten Auburn since the SEC went to the divisions in 1992..... Ole Miss defeated Auburn in 1992, Auburn was 5-5-1. 1999, Auburn was 5-6, 2003, Auburn was 8-5, 2008, Auburn was 5-7, and in 2012, Auburn was 3-9. That means only ONCE (out of the 10 wins Ole Miss has over Auburn) has Ole Miss beaten an Auburn team with a winning record.

It works both ways. Auburn is 9-0 vs. Ole Miss teams with losing records but 7-5 with Ole Miss teams with a winning record from 1992-2012. Regardless of their past, it still doesn't mean they cannot put together a solid season in 2013 coming off a 7-6 rebuilding year. I don't think anyone is expecting Ole Miss to win the West much less the SEC or to be a championship program. I do believe the potential is there for them to have a 9-win season in 2013. We shall see...

MOD FIGHT! jk lol

[Warbird82 160]

It really depends on whether their QB comes back healthy from the shoulder surgery he had in the off season...he was 100% last year and they did OK...if he's less than what he was last year, then they'll drop a couple more games...imnsho.

I agree. Wallace was the No. 37 rated passer in 2012. He needs to be close to top-25 material for the Rebs to win 9 games in 2013.

He also better get his TD-INT ratio in check...last year 22 TDs, 17 INTs. Since their success, much like AU's, is predicated on the offense being successful, how many starters are returning on that side of the ball for UM...specifically O-linemen? This will have a huge impact on Mr. Wallace's success too.

[cole256 17,085]

If you discount ole miss and what they are doing right now, you clearly don't know football.

[GoBull367 0]

If you discount ole miss and what they are doing right now, you clearly don't know football.

I agree. While looking at the schedule/scores/records is convincing for one side, just simply watching the team lets you know they are miles above where they were the year before. A lot more discipline for one, as well as more confidence and fight. They pass the eye test as far as improvement goes, and I can only speculate they will keep getting better under Freeze. In my opinion, Ole Miss will eventually be about where Arky was before Petrino got canned, and Arky is about to be in the basement where Ole Miss was.

[TigerWar 82]

Respectfully disagree.

Looking at their 2013 schedule i see only 3 games as sure wins- Idaho, Troy, and Southeast Missouri State. 3 i would rate as tossups-Arkansas, Missouri and State. If they win all 6 then OM still would have to find 3 wins among the remainng 6 games-Vandy, Auburn, Texas, bamr, A&M, LSU- to reach 9. Heck they could be 1-6 thru Oct 19th.

All this speculation and back & forth are two of the many reasons i enjoy college football so much.

Arky @ home with all the talent Arky lost on offense is not a toss up. Rebs better by 2 or 3 TDs. Rebs 10-14 points better than Mizzou at home. Miss St. may normally be a toss up but I think that is Mullen's swan song and the Dogs lay a lame duck egg. The Rebs are a 4 point favorite at Vandy. If they get it that's 7. Then comes the take the next step games for Ole Miss. Even though I am picking us to win Auburn is a winnable game for Ole Miss. So are LSU and TAMU at home given all the experience that left both teams. So yes, they can get to 8 or 9.

Okay lion, I'll give you the same opportunity as i gave Keesler.

A George Washington sez OM won't have a winning record. Put your money where your mouth is, big guy.

How about you put your money where your mouth is, big guy.

Vegas currently has the Ole Miss Over/Under win total at 8.5 games, so that would be a very, very, very easy bet according to your expertise. You should bet your entire savings on the under.

http://www.cbssports...totals-released

Mississippi

Over 8.5 (+120)

Under 8.5 (-160)

By the way, no one's saying that Ole Miss is the new SEC juggernaut that some of you seem to be reading into; no, we're simply saying that Ole Miss has one of the most experienced teams in college football this year and after Auburn went winless in conference play last season then it might not be too smart chalking this game up as an easy victory.

[WarTiger 4,018]

Since 1972 Ole Miss has won 8 or more games in a season NINE times. That's NINE times in 40 years. No matter how you slice it, Ole Miss is a middle of the pack program at best. 7 wins in 2012 and they only defeated TWO teams all season that had winning records. Those 2 were Central Arkansas and Mississippi State. It's going to take a lot more than that before I consider ole Miss a threat to anything. Let's look at the times that Ole Miss has beaten Auburn since the SEC went to the divisions in 1992..... Ole Miss defeated Auburn in 1992, Auburn was 5-5-1. 1999, Auburn was 5-6, 2003, Auburn was 8-5, 2008, Auburn was 5-7, and in 2012, Auburn was 3-9. That means only ONCE (out of the 10 wins Ole Miss has over Auburn) has Ole Miss beaten an Auburn team with a winning record.

It works both ways. Auburn is 9-0 vs. Ole Miss teams with losing records but 7-5 with Ole Miss teams with a winning record from 1992-2012. Regardless of their past, it still doesn't mean they cannot put together a solid season in 2013 coming off a 7-6 rebuilding year. I don't think anyone is expecting Ole Miss to win the West much less the SEC or to be a championship program. I do believe the potential is there for them to have a 9-win season in 2013. We shall see...

But, we've already established that only ONE of those five Auburn teams had a winning record. That wasn't some blockbuster achievement.

[WarEagle1983 2,190]

Respectfully disagree.

Looking at their 2013 schedule i see only 3 games as sure wins- Idaho, Troy, and Southeast Missouri State. 3 i would rate as tossups-Arkansas, Missouri and State. If they win all 6 then OM still would have to find 3 wins among the remainng 6 games-Vandy, Auburn, Texas, bamr, A&M, LSU- to reach 9. Heck they could be 1-6 thru Oct 19th.

All this speculation and back & forth are two of the many reasons i enjoy college football so much.

Arky @ home with all the talent Arky lost on offense is not a toss up. Rebs better by 2 or 3 TDs. Rebs 10-14 points better than Mizzou at home. Miss St. may normally be a toss up but I think that is Mullen's swan song and the Dogs lay a lame duck egg. The Rebs are a 4 point favorite at Vandy. If they get it that's 7. Then comes the take the next step games for Ole Miss. Even though I am picking us to win Auburn is a winnable game for Ole Miss. So are LSU and TAMU at home given all the experience that left both teams. So yes, they can get to 8 or 9.

+1

[TheBlueVue 177]

Some folks seem to get a little testy at the mere suggestion that Ole Miss might have a decent team this year. LOL, go figure!

[TigerWar 82]

Some folks seem to get a little testy at the mere suggestion that Ole Miss might have a decent team this year. LOL, go figure!

God forbid we give another team any credit whatsoever lulz!

[WarEagle1983 2,190]

Damn WT, bringing your "A" game ... good stuff.

[WarEagle1983 2,190]

Respectfully disagree.

Looking at their 2013 schedule i see only 3 games as sure wins- Idaho, Troy, and Southeast Missouri State. 3 i would rate as tossups-Arkansas, Missouri and State. If they win all 6 then OM still would have to find 3 wins among the remainng 6 games-Vandy, Auburn, Texas, bamr, A&M, LSU- to reach 9. Heck they could be 1-6 thru Oct 19th.

All this speculation and back & forth are two of the many reasons i enjoy college football so much.

Arky @ home with all the talent Arky lost on offense is not a toss up. Rebs better by 2 or 3 TDs. Rebs 10-14 points better than Mizzou at home. Miss St. may normally be a toss up but I think that is Mullen's swan song and the Dogs lay a lame duck egg. The Rebs are a 4 point favorite at Vandy. If they get it that's 7. Then comes the take the next step games for Ole Miss. Even though I am picking us to win Auburn is a winnable game for Ole Miss. So are LSU and TAMU at home given all the experience that left both teams. So yes, they can get to 8 or 9.

Okay lion, I'll give you the same opportunity as i gave Keesler.

A George Washington sez OM won't have a winning record. Put your money where your mouth is, big guy.

How about you put your money where your mouth is, big guy.

Vegas currently has the Ole Miss Over/Under win total at 8.5 games, so that would be a very, very, very easy bet according to your expertise. You should bet your entire savings on the under.

http://www.cbssports...totals-released

Mississippi

Over 8.5 (+120)

Under 8.5 (-160)

By the way, no one's saying that Ole Miss is the new SEC juggernaut that some of you seem to be reading into; no, we're simply saying that Ole Miss has one of the most experienced teams in college football this year and after Auburn went winless in conference play last season then it might not be too smart chalking this game up as an easy victory.

[PoetTiger 1,901]

Some folks seem to get a little testy at the mere suggestion that Ole Miss might have a decent team this year. LOL, go figure!

It goes both ways ...some get a little testy because others believe ole miss will continue to be well ...ole miss unless proven otherwise....

[johnjacob 44]

Ole Miss is my dark horse in the SEC this season...

The Rebels return the most starters in the SEC, were No. 2 in players with at least 20 games of experience, No. 3 in freshman who played in at least 12 games during 2012, No. 2 in seniors, No. 1 in returning letterman, No. 8 in recruiting over the past 4 years and No. 4 in conference with players appearing on Phil Steele's All-SEC teams. Bo Wallace was the No. 37 rated passer last year. If he can improve on that and become a top 25 passer in 2013, the Rebels could win 9-10 games this season. Don't forget they had close losses to A&M and LSU. They were 10 points away from being 10-3 rather than 7-6 in 2012.

They were the second most improved team at the FBS level in scoring offense, No. 28 most improved in scoring defense. They were the 4th most improved offense in total yardage and the 18th most improved defense in yardage allowed. They also went from No. 90 in forcing turnovers and tackles for loss on defense during 2011 to No. 4 nationally in 2012.

Agree Stat. Nice facts as well. Those where some of my points in the "way too early" thread. The Miss schools can't simply be written off anymore. I think we split with them this year. It's just not about one recruiting class with Ole Miss. They have some good starters returning and more importantly a good QB that will have another year under his belt. Yes, overall our football program is better than Ole Miss but we're in a similar position they were after only winning 2 games so just to dismiss them and say we're Auburn doesn't automatically make us better than them just b/c we're Auburn. Like it or not we have some proving to do. I'm just one who gives credit where credit is due and i think they are a good team that has a chance to do some good things this season.

Our OL should pulverize them -we should be able to grind it out on the ground and keep their O on the sideline most of the game. We should win this game and the MSU game.

Maybe so..hope so but i very doubt pulverize. Like i said before...we have a lot to prove so before i go making bold statements about who we're going to blowout or beat i need to see some evidence we can indeed do so and not simply based on what we have on paper. Ole Miss has some good players that have shown something....we have not yet so i'm not going to just chalk it up as a win just b/c we're Auburn and overall we've been a better program by far. I'm basing things off of the here and now and not simply basing things off my love for Auburn. I'm a fan of football and any football fan should be able to see that Ole Miss is not the Ole Miss of old. I have faith we'll certainly be in the game but as of now I see us splitting W/L with the Miss schools.

Pulverize as in beat up. The AU OL is two-three deep with 4 & 5 star players with the exception of center. They were young last year, but should be matured this year and be a team strength. AU also has a good stable of Rbs and QBs that can run the option, which means AU will be able to pound the ball and hit them with the HR pass when they try to adjust to stop the run.

[TheBlueVue 177]

Some folks seem to get a little testy at the mere suggestion that Ole Miss might have a decent team this year. LOL, go figure!

It goes both ways ...some get a little testy because others believe ole miss will continue to be well ...ole miss unless proven otherwise....

I don't see anyone upset that you think they'll suck. You've made that clear and I'm good with that. I don't care one way or the other. I am amused, however, when Auburn sux as bad as they have the last couple years, how quickly many here are to look down their nose at what very well could be a team that Auburn has some difficulty with. I really couldn't care less what Ole Miss does against anyone but Auburn and, naturally, I want to beat them.