The path to the SEC Championship Game may not be clear for Ole Miss, but the College Football Playoff is certainly within sight. All the Rebels have to do is avoid a stumble before December.
The No. 9 Rebels (8-2, 4-2 SEC) travel to Florida (5-5, 3-4), which has bucked lowered expectations and is on the cusp of bowl eligibility despite dealing with an avalanche of injuries at quarterback and questions (now answered) about the future of head coach Billy Napier.
The road here hasn't been without its bumps for Ole Miss, which left no room for error after suffering a second loss in overtime at LSU. Perfection has been a must for the Rebels, who have rebounded with impressive blowout wins and a double-digit victory against top-10 Georgia to buoy its playoff resume heading into the final two weeks of the season.
"I'm telling you, this is a big challenge, man," Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin said this week. "What were they, 4-5 or something last week? Florida. And the crowd was electric. It looked like the conference championship was on the line. So, you've got a place -- they play really well at home."
Ole Miss vs. Florida: Need to know
Ole Miss WR Tre Harris ready to return: At one time Tre Harris led the nation in receiving, and even though he has missed three games with an injury, he still stands at No. 5 entering the final two weeks of the regular season. It appears he may finally return to the field Saturday at Florida.
"(Tre Harris) has been great. It's been awesome having him back out there, to be fully loaded, our whole offense has been great," Kiffin said Wednesday. "It's been a great feeling to have back the nation's top receiver."
Even without Harris, Ole Miss had been electric on offense. The Rebels broke the school record for passing in a single game (562 yards) against Arkansas and Jaxson Dart has thrown only one interception in the last three games.
How limited is DJ Lagway? Florida quarterback DJ Lagway has provided a much-needed boost to the offense. The Gators average 2 yards more per play than when he's off the field (7.4 vs. 5.4). After missing some time with a hamstring injury, he returned last week to lead the Gators to a 27-16 win against LSU. Lagway, however, was still limited with the soft-tissue injury. Is he closer to 100% healthy this week? He may be counted on to provide more presence as a pocket passer than a scrambler -- just like last week.
"Look, there were a handful of plays out there, missed opportunities," Napier said. "I mean, he could have had a big, big day. He's still a young player. He's still evolving. I think that was a good kind of experience for him long-term that he can lean on in the future."
Ole Miss has the nation's most productive defensive line: Ole Miss is winning games because of its dominant defensive line frustrating opposing quarterbacks. The Rebels lead the nation with 46 sacks, and have been quite productive during their three-game winning streak, combining for 22 sacks during that time. They also lead the SEC with 235 quarterback pressures. Just something to keep in mind if the usually mobile Lagway is limited again with his hamstring injury.
How to watch Ole Miss vs. Florida live
Date: Saturday, Nov. 23 | Time: 12 p.m. ET
Location: Ben Hill Griffin Stadium – Gainesville, Florida
TV: ABC | Live stream: fubo (Try for free)
Ole Miss vs. Florida prediction, picks
The Gators are nearly 90 yards per game better on defense at home, and last week they held LSU to 4.1 yards per play -- their best performance against an FBS team this season. Ole Miss, however, seems to have cut back on the mistakes at inopportune times and the offense is clicking again. The Rebels 7.6 yards per play, the second-best average in the country behind Miami, which blew out the Gators at home in their season opener. Florida is better than it was in September and will show up again Saturday, but the Rebels' defense has been on a tear (22 sacks in the last three games) and wins by a score. The betting line seems a little high. Pick: Florida +10.5
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