Ole Miss vs. LSU Keys to the Game in Week 5

The Ole Miss Rebels have a stiff challenge at home on Saturday night, and they already badly need this win before the calendar hits October.

The Magnolia Bowl did not go the way of the Ole Miss Rebels in 2022. That much is certain.

The 7-0 Rebels suffered their first loss of the season in an embarrassing fashion at the hands of the Bayou Bengals, falling 45-20 in Death Valley after opening up an early lead on the road. This season, however, the Rebels get the LSU Tigers at home, and they will look to avenge last season's loss to Brian Kelly's team.

The Rebels and Tigers are scheduled to kick off at 5 p.m. CT on Saturday, and today, we take a look at the keys to the game for both teams who are looking to pick up an SEC West win in Oxford on Saturday night.

Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart last season against the LSU Tigers

LSU will win if...

...it causes havoc in the Rebels backfield and Jayden Daniels has a big game.

Ole Miss looked vulnerable against the Alabama Crimson Tide last week, failing to produce any offensive momentum for basically the entire game. If LSU can get pressure on Jaxson Dart, clog running lanes and let its own quarterback run wild, it will leave Oxford with a win.

Ole Miss will win if...

...it can succeed on offense and contain Daniels and Malik Nabers.

Nabers could be a matchup nightmare for Pete Golding's defense that will already have its hands full containing another mobile quarterback. To me, that is the game in itself paired with the Rebels being much more successful on offense than they were last week. Some semblance of a running game has to be established, and Dart's weapons in the passing game need to continue to get healthy.