Three Major Takeaways From the Ole Miss Football Schedule Release

The Southeastern Conference released their full schedule for the modified 10-game, conference only schedule on Monday evening. Here are our three major takeaways from the 2020 Ole Miss schedule.

The Southeastern Conference released their full schedule for the modified 10-game, conference only schedule on Monday evening. 

Ole Miss' full draw can be found here with the major changes coming from the additions of games at Kentucky and home for South Carolina, the two new games added to get to the 10-game slate. 

After taking a night and subsequent morning to process the schedule, here our three major takeaways from the 2020 Ole Miss schedule. Hint: it's relatively encouraging.

1. Season projects as the ultimate rollercoaster

Opening the season against Florida is brutal, regardless of the fact that it's a home game. But in week two, the Rebels get to play Kentucky. Then they'll return home for another juggernaut bout with Alabama. However, after Alabama, the Rebels get to face Arkansas. 

That's sort of how the Rebel schedule looks for the entire 2020 year. Each time the Rebels stare down the face of a game that is, on paper, daunting, they get to follow it up with a game that should be winnable for this Ole Miss team. There could be a lot of highs and a lot of lows in quick succession.  

2. Above .500 through eight weeks is very much in play

Like we mentioned above, there's a lot of tough games on the SEC only schedule, but there's also some winnable ones. Ole Miss has a bye in week 7. If they can beat Kentucky, Arkansas and Vanderbilt in those first six weeks, they'll likely go into the bye at 3-3. 

Coming out of the bye week is a week 8 game home for South Carolina. Looking at the advanced analytical numbers for Ole Miss and South Carolina, they're nearly identical teams on paper. If Ole Miss goes in to the bye at 3-3 and comes out and wins a home game with an extra week to prepare for South Carolina, they'll be sitting at 4-3 after eight weeks. 

3. Season ending rivalry duo could bring fans euphoria or heartbreak

The "LSU is our true rival" narrative on Twitter has hit an all-time high with Ole Miss fans following the release of the schedule on Monday. Ole Miss will end this 2020 regular season with a trip to Baton Rouge. This will be the first time since 1975 that the team has been scheduled to end the season against a team not named Mississippi State. 

Prior to that trip to Death Valley, Ole Miss will host Mississippi State for a Thanksgiving Weekend Egg Bowl matchup. With both Ole Miss and MSU bringing in new coaches for the 2020 season, that game should truly be looked at as the ultimate toss up. 

Regardless of your opinion on who the true rival is, Ole Miss fans will get both State and LSU in back-to-back weekends. Is that a good thing for blood pressure readings here in Oxford? Time will tell.

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