Which Ole Miss Team Shows Up in Arkansas on Saturday Morning?

OXFORD, Miss. — Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin doesn’t know the answer to the question in the headline. About all he appears to be able to do every week is hope.

That appears to be the Jekyll and Hyde nature of the Rebels this year. When they’re good, Ole Miss can play with anybody in the country. If they get lazy or not too interested on defense they can’t beat Kentucky at home.

It’s been that kind of year through a 6-2 start to the season. Now they have to go into an environment that will be hostile, loud and rowdy. At least for the ones that come out of the deer woods in time to make it to the morning kickoff.

We’ll hear from Kiffin at noon. He knows Arkansas is playing much the same way this year. At times, they appear to be world-beaters (befuddling then-No. 4 Tennessee), 19-14. Two weeks later they got boat-raced on the same field, 34-14.

The other problem may be the weather. That’s nothing unusual for the Rebels playing games in Fayetteville, Ark. The long-range forecast for the weekend is showing a 50% chance of rain and thunderstorms that could lead to rain delays.

Right now there’s no need to be concerned about the temperatures. They are expected to be in the high 60’s and low 70’s. That’s been an issue at times in the past for both teams, too.

Now that could be an issue Ole Miss can prepare for as well as possible. It’s created problems in the past.

In 2010, the Rebels had gotten momentum against a good Razorbacks’ team and then everything got put on hold for an extended period of time. Houston Nutt’s team never could get that back after a lengthy delay and ended up getting whacked.

There will be lengthy scouting reports this week about the Hogs, but that’s not the biggest key to the game. Ole Miss has more talent and is deeper across the front lines if they decide to stay focused with maximum effort.

Kiffin knows all this. Now he just has to find out which team shows up and how that weather thing plays out.

It really shouldn’t matter. The Rebels have more talent along the line of scrimmage on both sides. No more letdowns are available for this team that is now bowl-eligible, but still has an outside lane path to get into the college football playoffs.

There will be some help needed. Ole Miss can’t afford any more losses because a three-loss team probably isn’t going to get there.