Series History: Previous Meetings Between the Rebels and Demon Deacons

The Rebels look to turn the tide on Saturday as they are 0-2 against Wake Forest all-time.

Sept 9, 2006; Columbia, MO, USA; Mississippi Rebels head coach Ed Orgeron watches from the sidelines against the Missouri Tigers in the first half at Memorial Stadium in Columbia, MO. Mandatory Credit: John Rieger-Imagn Images Copyright (c) 2006 John Rieger / John Rieger-Imagn Images

Saturday will mark the third matchup all-time between the Ole Miss Rebels and Wake Forest Demon Deacons, and it will be the second meeting in Winston-Salem, N.C.

These two programs squared off in 2006 and again in 2008 which was a period of transition for Ole Miss football between head coaches Ed Orgeron and Houston Nutt.

Orgeron was the head coach in 2006 when the Rebels started the season 1-5, including an embarrassing loss at home to the Demon Deacons. Wake Forest entered Vaught-Hemingway Stadium and shut the Rebels offensive down, allowing just three points in a 27-3 final score.

Dexter McCluster was the leading receiver with 60 yards, and BenJarvus Green-Ellis led the way on the ground with 54 yards rushing.

Coach O only lasted one more year in Oxford before the Rebels poached former Arkansas coach Houston Nutt to take over an underpreforming Rebel program.

Sept. 9, 2008; Winston-Salem, NC, USA; Wake Forest Demon Deacons running back Brandon Pendergrass (22) runs as Ole Miss Rebels safety Jamarca Sanford (13) defends in Wake Forest 30-28 victory against the Ole Miss at BB&T Field. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images / Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

In 2008, the Rebels went to Winston Salem in Week 2 to take on a top 25 team. Wake Forest pulled out a close win with a last-second field goal as time expired to beat the Rebels 30-28.

The rest of the 2008 season was up and down at times with a win over the future national champion Florida Gators, but losses to South Carolina and Alabama had Ole Miss sitting at 3-4 overall partway through the year. The Rebels went on to win the next six games, however, including a Cotton Bowl Victory over a top-10 Texas Tech team.

The Rebels now have the opportunity to make a statement, and they seem to have the better team for once in this matchup. It should be interesting to see how Ole Miss deals with the adversity of playing on the road for the first time as a team in 2024.

Kickoff on Saturday between Ole Miss and Wake Forest is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. CT, and the game will be televised on The CW.