The Auburn Tigers (3-3, 1-2) head to Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, Mississippi, on Saturday to battle No. 9 Ole Miss Rebels (6-0, 3-0). The Tigers have owned this series all-time 35-10, and are winners of six consecutive matchups. This SEC West showdown is crucial for both teams, but for very different reasons.
For the visitors, this game is all about getting off the snide and preserving their head coach Bryan Harsin for at least one more game. In three SEC matchups, the Tigers have been outscored 77-44 and barely escaped with a win over Missouri after they fumbled away the overtime win. A win over Ole Miss would even up their SEC record and put Auburn within striking distance of earning bowl eligibility.
For Ole Miss, Lane Kiffin and the Rebels are looking to keep pace with the top teams in the SEC West. They survived a scare against Vanderbilt, where the Rebels needed a second-half surge to overcome the early deficit. Kiffin is 0-2 against Auburn but perhaps the third time is the charm.
As kickoff draws closer, the Auburn Wire staff make their predictions for this game and the rest of the SEC slate.