Ole Miss vs. South Carolina Game Preview

By Adam Brown
Sports Editor
adam.brown@hottytoddy.com

The Ole Miss Rebels will welcome the South Carolina Gamecocks into Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on Saturday evening. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. on the SEC Network. 

Ole Miss (2-4, 2-4) is coming into the contest after a bye week. The last time the Rebels took the gridiron they defeated the Vanderbilt Commodores 54-21. 

This season, the Rebels senior tight end Kenny Yeboah is averaging 78.3 receiving yards per game are the fifth-most in the NCAA amongst tight ends. He is one of only seven players nationally, and the only tight end, who has three or more catches greater than 50 yards.

At wide receiver, Elijah Moore is No. 2 in the nation in receptions per game (10.2) and third in the NCAA in receiving yards (829).

The Landshark defense has forced a turnover in five of its six games this season.

South Carolina is 2-4 overall entering this week’s game with Ole Miss. The Gamecocks are averaging 340.5 yards of total offense per game, with 196 coming through the air and 144 yards per game on the ground. 

“[South Carolina] is a team with really good players that have played good at times,” Head Coach Lane Kiffin said. “Not happy about last week, but everyone is coming in here on fire.”

Sophomore running back Kevin Harris has been South Carolina’s biggest offensive weapon this season. Harris ranks No. 3 in the SEC in rushing yards (574) and second with eight rushing TDs. 

Graduate transfer Collin Hill serves as the Gamecocks’ primary signal-caller and has completed 58.8% of his passes for 1,142 yards on the season, with five TDs and five interceptions. Ryan Hilinksi and Luke Doty made their season debuts last Saturday versus Texas A&M. Hill’s primary target has been senior Shi Smith. Smith ranks top 10 in the SEC in receiving yards (470), receptions (43) and receiving touchdowns (3). Smith’s 43 receptions are nearly three times more than the Gamecocks’ No. 2 receiver. 

Defensively, the Gamecocks are allowing just under 424 yards per game. Linebacker Ernest Jones is fifth in the SEC with 10.0 tackles per game. Junior Kingsley Enagbare leads the Gamecocks with five TFLs and four sacks on the season.

Saturday’s matchup will be the 17th match between the two programs. The all-time series is tied at 8-8 and 3-3 in games played in Oxford. 

Ole Miss will honor those who serve and have served in military service Saturday with its annual Military Appreciation Game.