The staff at Roll Tide Wire give their predictions for the upcoming Alabama game against the Ole Miss Rebels. Who wins the Week 3 matchup?
It is now Week 3 of the SEC football season, and the difficulty of Alabama’s schedule doesn’t seem to be lightening up anytime soon.
Up next on the list is Lane Kiffin and Ole Miss, who is currently sitting with a 1-1 record after an exciting 42-21 overtime win against the Kentucky Wildcats last Saturday.
As of right now, the Crimson Tide are 23.5-point favorites over the Rebels, according to BetMGM. Can that spread be covered? What will the final score end up being?
Below are the predictions from the entire staff at Roll Tide Wire, including some analysis!
AJ Spurr, Contributor
While I initially thought Pete Golding’s defense looked shaky in the Week 1 win against Missouri, I was proven wrong against Texas A&M. Lane Kiffin’s offense will be ineffective against Patrick Surtain II and the rest of the impressive collection of talent in Alabama’s secondary.
On offense, I believe Mac Jones gets the better of the Ole Miss defense in a pass-happy attack, but Najee Harris will still be a part of the equation with a few scores of his own. Jaylen Waddle has been a top performer through the first two games, but DeVonta Smith will be the offensive MVP for the SEC West matchup.
Final score: Alabama 51, Ole Miss 24
Hannah Stephens, Contributor
This series is always an amazing matchup. And it’s Lane Kiffin’s first time facing Nick Saban as a head coach since 2009 when Kiffin was the head coach  at Tennessee. And It’s also his first time facing Saban since his departure from Tuscaloosa in 2018. So, that makes this particular matchup even better!
Look for this to be a closer game than people may think. Kiffin’s crew is 2-1 on the season, and Ole Miss quarterback Matt Corral has an impressive arm which could quickly cause issues for Alabama’s secondary. If he’s able to rip the ball downfield and find the weaknesses in Alabama’s defense, the Rebels could put points on the board quickly.
As for the Crimson Tide, look for Mac Jones to once again put on a show. With the way Alabama’s offense has been scoring both on the ground and in the sky, Alabama could easily score over 40 points against the Rebels.
All in all, Alabama wins a good tough road game on their journey back to the CFB Playoff.
Final score: Alabama 48, Ole Miss 24
Clint Lamb, Managing Editor
How this game plays out could be directly related to the weather, as we still don’t exactly know how Hurricane Delta is going to impact the outcome. If there are significant winds and heavy rain (likely), that will almost certainly change how each offense attacks the other team’s defense.
With the physicality and experience along Alabama’s offensive line and in the backfield, a messy game could play in the Tide’s favor. Ole Miss quarterback Matt Corral’s impact with his arm would be mitigated at that point, after all.
With all that being said, don’t be surprised if a Rebels offense being forced to go one-dimensional causes dual-threat quarterback John Rhys Plumlee to be a bigger part of the game plan than many expect. That especially holds true after the sophomore rushed for over 100 yards and a score last season against Alabama.
It will take both teams awhile to figure out the best way to navigate the weather, but which team can establish a more consistent rushing attack will go a long way in determining how this game plays out.
Final score: Alabama 35, Ole Miss 14
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