An Early Look at LSU Football's Matchup with No. 12 Ole Miss
After beating the odds and winning in thrilling fashion over Florida, LSU begins preparing for a lethal offense in the Ole Miss Rebels. Led by Coach Lane Kiffin, this team is clicking on all cylinders as they look to carry their success against the Tigers.
The Tigers are coming off of an upset win over Florida where junior running back Tyrion Davis-Price ran for 287 yards and three touchdowns. The success in the run game must be effective if LSU wants to compete against the Rebels.
The Rebels offensive firepower is just about as talented as they come in the college game. With quarterback Matt Corral at the helm, the Heisman front-runner looks to showcase his talent against the Tigers Saturday in Oxford.
Stopping Matt Corral
It’s no secret, Corral is one of the most dynamic quarterbacks in the college game, and limiting his scrambling ability is where the Tigers need to hone in on. The definition of a dual-threat quarterback, Corral displayed his athleticism last week against Tennessee, passing for 231 yards and two touchdowns while adding 195 rushing yards on 30 carries.
Corral is difficult to take down, and with the Tigers allowing Auburn quarterback Bo Nix to look like a prime Johnny Manziel, it’ll be interesting to see the adjustments the Tigers make. Against Florida Saturday, LSU limited dual-threat quarterback Emory Jones’ ability to make plays with his legs and now hope to translate that success against the Rebels.
The play calling of Ole Miss favors the style of Corral’s game perfectly. Allowing him to scramble and make plays with his feet is what makes this offense so dangerous. The Tigers will have to contain Corral and force him to stay in the pocket to compete against this unit.
Limiting Dontario Drummond’s Touches
Dontario Drummond is just about as talented of a wide receiver as they come. From playing the ball at its highest point to showcasing the ability to brush off defenders at any moment, this young secondary of the Tigers will be put to the test.
With starting cornerbacks Derek Stingley Jr. and Elias Ricks out, it’ll be the job of Dwight McGlothern, Cordale Flott and this young group to slow down the production of these talented Rebel receivers.
McGlothern came up big against the Gators Saturday afternoon and needs to see the same success against Ole Miss to put this team in position to win. The offensive firepower of Kiffin’s squad has been a force all year, showing no signs of slowing down.
The Lane Kiffin Effect
In just his second season as the Rebels head coach, Kiffin has turned this program into a contender overnight. From exceptional play calling to putting the ball in his playmakers hands, Kiffin’s calm demeanor translates to his squad.
The respect Kiffin has for the Tigers and Coach Orgeron goes both ways as the two look to battle it out in Oxford. Kiffin even took his thoughts to Twitter after the Tigers defeated Florida to voice his admiration for Orgeron and LSU.
Keeping the ball out of the Rebels hands and not giving Kiffin the chance to call another flawless game will be the main priority for LSU. This Rebels offense is as dynamic as they come and limiting their possessions will be key against a team who can run up the score as much as they are capable of.
