Ole Miss Football Week 13 Rooting Guide: Lane Kiffin and Rebels in position to host College Football Playoff game
Ole Miss is firmly in control of their own College Football Playoff destiny when it comes to simply making it into the bracket. They just need to defeat Billy Napier's Florida Gators and the worst Mississippi State team of the last two decades. However, if Lane Kiffin and the Rebels take care of business and […]
Ole Miss is firmly in control of their own College Football Playoff destiny when it comes to simply making it into the bracket. They just need to defeat Billy Napier's Florida Gators and the worst Mississippi State team of the last two decades. However, if Lane Kiffin and the Rebels take care of business and get a little help from some key losses for other potential playoff teams they could still host a postseason game in Oxford.
Which specific team(s) do Ole Miss fans need to be rooting for and against heading into Week 13 action of college football if they want to position themselves to potentially host a playoff game and chase after a national championship?
Here are the top five games from this weekend that Ole Miss fans should keep their eye on as the Rebels look to win a championship in the first ever 12-Team College Football Playoff.
No. 2 Ohio State vs No. 5 Indiana
Rooting Interest: Ohio State easily defeats Indiana
Indiana remaining undefeated through 10 games is a huge brick wall standing in the way of several SEC teams earning a home College Football Playoff game. If Ohio State crushes them with their depth of NFL talent then it's possible the Hoosiers drop out of the playoff completely. And most importantly, they would certainly drop behind Ole Miss.
Indiana ranks number one in pass success rate and EPA per drop back, but that still likely won't be enough to defeat the Buckeyes. They just struggled against Michigan, the first team they've faced with much NFL talent, so that likely continues against Ohio State.
No. 7 Alabama vs Oklahoma
Rooting Interest: Oklahoma somehow upsets Alabama
This might sound impossible given how terrible the Sooners offense has been this year, but their wide receiver group that has been decimated by injury all year long is finally getting healthy at just the right time. If the Sooners attempt to play ball control mixed with a couple explosive touchdowns they could keep it close with Kalen DeBoer and the Crimson Tide.
If Oklahoma can just keep this game close that might be enough to give Ole Miss the edge in a one-to-one resume comparison. Even if Alabama jumps out to a big lead early, Rebels fans need to be rooting for a back door cover on the two-touchdown spread just to make it difficult for the playoff selection committee.
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No. 6 Notre Dame vs No. 19 Army
Rooting Interest: Notre Dame blows it against Army
Just like Alabama, Notre Dame doesn't necessarily need to lose to Army to drop below Ole Miss in the playoff rankings. The Fighting Irish already have the ugly lose to Northern Illinois. If they show any struggles against another non-power conference team that might be enough to push them outside home game host seeding.
Army unsurprisingly has the second highest rushing success rate and loves to play keep away. They seriously posted a 14-minute drive once this year just to make sure they sealed a win. If they can ugly this up early Army could keep it close and perhaps miraculously win. Either outcome would be perfect for Jaxson Dart, Tre Harris, and company.
No. 14 BYU at No. 21 Arizona State
Rooting Interest: Arizona State hands BYU second loss
This might seem a bit confusing since the Big 12 is already clearly looked down upon by the playoff committee, but another loss to BYU would be incredible for Ole Miss. This would ensure that every Big 12 team had multiple losses, guaranteeing that only one squad from that conference gets in.
Arizona State would likely be a better matchup to take down Colorado in the Big 12 Championship too. Despite Colorado's inconsistencies, no playoff team wants to have to face off against Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders. Ole Miss fans should root for Arizona State the rest of the way.
No. 3 Texas at Kentucky
Rooting Interest: Texas struggles with Kentucky
The Texas Longhorns have exactly zero quality wins this season. Their best victory is either against Vanderbilt or Michigan, so if they look human or even lose against Kentucky (possible) they will certainly be in the mix to fall down the playoff rankings. And Kentucky is one of Ole Miss' two seemingly impossible losses. If Texas plays them close that helps the Rebels' resume overall.
Quinn Ewers (and Arch Manning) struggled against Georgia's ferocious pass rush earlier this fall. If they do struggle with Kentucky, dropping into range to face off against Ole Miss, it's likely Princely Umanmielen, Walter Nolen, and Suntarine Perkins completely destroy Texas in a head-to-head face off. It's also possible that the Longhorns drop out of the playoff entirely with a loss.
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