Way-Too-Early Staff Predictions: Ole Miss vs. Mercer

The Grove Report staff gives predictions for Ole Miss vs. Mercer.

OXFORD, Miss. -- The Ole Miss Rebels begin their 2023 campaign with a non-conference matchup at home versus the Mercer Bears in Week 1 of the college football season. Similarly to Ole Miss, Mercer is in the midst of a quarterback competition after senior signal caller Fred Payton declared for the 2023 NFL Draft in December.

According to their official team website, Mercer is entering the fall with four quarterbacks on its roster including redshirt freshman Daniel Schoch, freshman Drew Moore, and redshirt sophomores Carter Peevy and Hess Horne. Whoever takes over for Payton will have big shoes to fill after the Lilburn, Ga., native had statistically the best season for a quarterback in Mercer history last fall, setting multiple school records in the process.

Ole Miss' Week 1 matchup will kick off at 1 p.m. CT on Sept. 2 in Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Here's how The Grove Report staff sees this game going for Ole Miss.

Cole Thompson

Last season against FCS Central Arkansas, the Rebels totaled over 500 yards of offense and scored 59 points. Mercer might be better on paper, but this outcome remains the same.

Ole Miss 56, Mercer 10

Timm Hamm

Ole Miss is hoping to make an early statement or two as the 2023 season unfolds. And it's not going to let Mercer pose an early roadblock before SEC play even gets started. 

Ole Miss 37, Mercer 13

Casey Smith

Mercer is 0-17 against Southeastern Conference teams since the conference's formation in 1933, and that trend won't change in Oxford in September. The Bears were 54th in the Football Championship Subdivision in pass yards allowed per game, while allowing 22.09 points and 120.1 rush yards per game in 2022. Though Mercer returns 10 of its top-11 tacklers from last season, Ole Miss should have a field day on offense with its abundance of weapons.

Ole Miss 59, Mercer 17

Ben King

Ole Miss opens its 2023 campaign with a favorable matchup against an opponent the Rebels have not faced in over a century. The Rebels shut out Mercer on the road 34-0 in 1911 and Ole Miss' second all-time meeting with the Bears will end in a similar fashion. 

Ole Miss 56, Mercer 14

John Macon Gillespie

Are you an Ole Miss fan who wants to ring in the college football season with a win before the schedule gets really difficult really quickly? You're in luck. Ole Miss should be able to handle Mercer with relative ease, and I think it's a big opening day for an offense that, I believe, will be pretty darn good in 2023.

Ole Miss 52, Mercer 13

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You can follow Ben King on Twitter at @BKing_2023.

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