Ole Miss Week 2 Opponent Preview: Keys to the Game for Each Team

What does Ole Miss need to do to secure a Week 2 victory versus Tulane?

OXFORD, Miss. -- After opening their 2023 regular season with a Week 1 home matchup versus the Mercer Bears, the Ole Miss Rebels will hit the road to take on the Tulane Green Wave in Week 2. Tulane is Ole Miss' first test of the season, as the Green Wave finished their 2022 campaign as one of the best Group of Five schools in the country with an overall record of 12-2.

After defeating the USC Trojans 46-45 in the 2023 Cotton Bowl Classic to cap off their historic 2022-23 campaign, the Green Wave will not be a team to be taken lightly this fall. Led by junior quarterback Michael Pratt - who recorded 3,009 passing yards, 27 touchdowns, and five interceptions last season - Tulane is already a step ahead of Ole Miss in the sense that they have determined their starting signal caller. 

The Green Wave did, however, lose star running back Tyjae Spears and a handful of veteran defenders to the 2023 NFL Draft. Spear was the No. 1 option in Tulane's rushing attack last fall and led the team with 1,581 rushing yards. Running backs Iverson Celestine and Shaadie Clayton-Johnson will lead the Tulane running back room in 2023.

Ole Miss defensive back Jadon Canady spent the last two seasons with Tulane and will get the opportunity to suit up against his former teammates in Week 2. Canady transferred to the Rebels in May after recording 69 tackles, 3.5 TFLs, and two interceptions in his career with the Green Wave.

The last time these two programs met in 2021, Ole Miss won by a decisive score of 61-21 in front of a home crowd. The sixty-seventh meeting between these two programs is not shaping up to be a blowout, however. Ole Miss and Tulane will kick off at 2:30 p.m. CT on Sept. 16 in Yulman Stadium. These are the keys to the game for both the Rebels and Green Wave.

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Tulane Green Wave

1. Let Pratt Cook

Tulane quarterback Michael Pratt had a career year in 2022 under coach Willi Fritz, throwing for a career-high in passing yards (3,010), passing touchdowns (27), and completion percentage (63.6). Pratt also threw a career-low five interceptions. Former Green Wave running back Tyjae Spears may have been the highlight of Tulane's rushing attack in 2022, but Pratt finished No. 2 on the team in rushing yards (478) and touchdowns (10), proving to be more than capable of handling himself outside of the pocket. His receiving corp took a hit and he can no longer rely on Spears out of the backfield, so this game will be placed on Pratt's shoulders.

2. Try to not let Ole Miss score 61 points 

The last time Ole Miss and Tulane met, it did not go over well for the Green Wave. Tulane is coming off a historic 2022 campaign, but that means top talent on both sides of the ball has left for the NFL. Tulane's defense was hit the hardest, with its top five tacklers from last fall all moving on to the pros. That does not bode well for a defense that will be forced to try and slow down the reigning SEC Freshman of the Year, Ole Miss running back Quinshon Judkins.

Ole Miss Rebels 

1. Feed Judkins

As mentioned above, Tulane lost multiple veterans on the defensive side of the ball, including 2022 leading tackler linebacker Dorian Williams, making this the prime opportunity for sophomore running back Quinshon Judkins to have a Heisman-level performance early in the 2023 season. The Rebels will want to keep the ball in Judkins' hands and control the clock on the road in enemy territory.

2. Stop Pratt

Tulane Quarterback Michael Pratt is the cog that will keep the Tulane offense moving in 2023, if he falters, the rest of the unit should follow suit. Pratt lost his top two receivers and No. 1 tailback from last season and unless someone new steps in and immediately gels with Pratt ahead of Week 2, there is no threat bigger than Tulane's returning starter. 

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You can follow Ben King on Twitter at @BKing_2023.

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