This week, there is a matchup of two neighboring state programs filled with storylines heading into their final matchup as western division foes.
Auburn’s rumored talks with current Ole Miss head coach, Lane Kiffin, and eventual hiring of previous Rebel, Hugh Freeze 11 months ago was just the latest chapter in an odd relationship between the two schools. But, in terms of a real effect on Saturday’s matchup, Freeze doesn't expect anything out of the ordinary. He played the Rebels once while at Liberty.
“I think that it actually helps a lot,” Freeze said. “Jill (Freeze) and I actually talked about that. Because, you know, that removes the ‘Hey, this is your first time playing Ole Miss since your departure from there.' And so, I think it's very helpful.”
Despite any emotional or Hollywood element that could be applied to the Saturday night contest, Auburn faces yet another high-scoring offense in Ole Miss after a similar assignment in a 30-point loss to Jayden Daniels and LSU in Tiger Stadium a week ago.
“I think this is the third straight week that we'll be facing one of the top three offenses in the conference in Georgia, LSU and Ole Miss,” Freeze said. “Ole Miss, that's going to be a tremendous challenge. I am thankful that we're at home in Jordan-Hare. We need it to be at its all-time best and I know it will be. We'll get ready and excited for this challenge.”
Players to Watch:
Ole Miss Rebels:
Jaxon Dart - QB
Jaxson Dart has been tearing up the SEC, sitting at second place in the conference and seventh in the FBS, with 323.3 yards of total offense per game. In the Rebels' latest game against Arkansas, before their bye week, Dart threw for 153 yards and hit a touchdown in the win.
Dart's success through the air has been crucial for the Rebels halfway through the season sitting at the second spot in the SEC and ninth nationally in passing yards per completion at 15.3. He's also making Ole Miss history, at seventh in all-time 300-yard games with four under his belt.
Quinshon Judkins - RB
A Pike Road, Alabama, native, Quinshon Judkins has already set a career record with seven multi-rushing touchdown games this season, ranking fourth all-time in program history in 100-yard games with nine.
His performance has earned him a place on the Maxwell, Walter Camp and Doak Walker Award watch lists, solidifying his status as a consensus preseason All-American. This season, Judkins has 443 yards, an average of 4.1 yards per play and six touchdowns.
Jordan Watkins - WR
Jordan Watkins, who transferred from Louisville in 2022, currently leads the team with 36 receptions and 536 receiving yards. Notably, Watkins also secured his first career punt return for a touchdown on a 70-yard score against Mercer in the first game of the season, earning recognition as the SEC Co-Special Teams Player of the Week.
With four 100-yard receiving games under his belt at Ole Miss, he remains a consistent threat on the field. Additionally, Watkins is on the Senior Bowl watch list, showcasing his potential impact on the broader stage.
Auburn Tigers:
Payton Thorne - QB
Payton Thorne struggled on the road last Saturday against LSU, completing 12 of 23 passes for 102 yards. In SEC play this season, Thorne holds the lowest marks in yards per attempt and quarterback rating among qualified passers.
Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze acknowledged the team's offensive struggles, stating, "You know, offensively it's well documented. We've struggled to be consistent."
Auburn passed for 100 yards as a team for the first time in six consecutive Power Five games last Saturday in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. If Thorne and the Tiger’s work-in-progress offense want to keep up with the Rebels the passing attack will certainly have to be prominent in this ballgame.
Jaylin Simpson - DB
Jaylin Simpson, a standout defensive back for Auburn, has proven to be a force in generating turnovers this season. With four interceptions, he ranks among the national FBS leaders with an average of 0.70 interceptions per game. Simpson's ability to secure turnovers has not only earned him a spot on the Reese’s Senior Bowl midseason All-America team but has also contributed significantly to Auburn's defensive success.
The Tigers stand out as one of the 13 FBS teams that have returned both a fumble and an interception for a touchdown this season. Additionally, the team is one of 27 teams with multiple defensive scores. Auburn's overall success in forcing turnovers ranks second in the SEC with a total of 11 turnovers forced through the first six games.
Keys to Victory:
Ole Miss Rebels:
The Rebels will look to copy exactly what LSU was able to do at home against the Tigers and jump out to a quick lead. The Bayou Bengals were able to score their first two touchdowns on four-play and six-play drives in the first quarter to take a commanding 17-0 lead early in the first quarter.
“They're similar and they go faster than LSU. Ole Miss shows more tempo most of the time. I mean, Lane and Charlie want to go fast all the time,” Freeze said. “And that's hard to prepare for sure. They do a few more things in the run game than LSU and probably in the past game too.”
Ole Miss is one of 12 schools nationally with at least seven yards per play and one of nine below 23 seconds per play. If Jaxon Dart and the Rebel offense can get off to a fast start on the road, it’s hard to imagine Auburn’s struggling offense can put together a comeback on this quick-strike Ole Miss attack.
Auburn Tigers:
If the Tigers want to pull off the home upset they’ll need to keep it a low-scoring affair with the Rebels. Auburn simply isn’t built to win up-tempo, high-scoring matchups as Freeze mentioned at his Monday media availability.
“I mean, I wouldn't be sitting here today if it wasn't for tempo offense and RPO world. And so it's a very uncomfortable feeling for me to not be in that world,” Freeze said Monday. “But we're very, very thin and you can’t get in that kind of game last week with LSU, this week with Ole Miss. They want that kind of game. I mean, they thrive in that kind of game. So it's a struggle.”
A lower-scoring, defensive game, maybe with a turnover or two sprinkled in by Auburn’s defense, is Freeze’s best-case scenario for his first-year squad to pull off a program-defining upset.
The Tigers and Rebels are scheduled to kickoff from inside Jordan-Hare Stadium at 6 p.m. CST on Saturday with the game televised on ESPN.
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Patrick is a sophomore from Auburn, Alabama, double majoring in journalism and marketing. He started with The Plainsman in fall 2022.
