.png&width=32&height=32&type=webp)
The University of Mississippi Athletics
Rebels Hope To Bounce Back
10/26/1999 | Football
Oct. 26, 1999
OXFORD, Miss. - Mississippi, which has licked its wounds during an off week following a loss to Alabama, tries to get back on track Saturday when it battles LSU in a West Division matchup of SEC foes.
The Rebels (5-2, 2-2) nearly erased a 20-point second-half deficit against the Tide, but came up just short in a 30-24 setback on Oct. 16. The defeat left them two games behind Alabama and Mississippi State with four games to play.
Romario Miller completed 15-of-31 passes for 217 yards and a touchdown in the game and was aided by Deuce McAllister's 63 rushing yards and two scores. For the season, Miller has thrown for 1,400 yards and 10 TDs with three interceptions.
McAllister, who has a team-high six TDs, has formed a potent 1-2 punch on the ground with Joe Gunn. The duo has rushed for 988 yards and nine touchdowns and possesses a lofty average of 5.1 yards per carry.
Cory Peterson, who caught eight passes for 137 yards in the loss to Alabama, leads the Rebels with 32 catches for 459 yards.
A victory this weekend would make Ole Miss eligible for a bowl berth. Following the contest, it has home contests against Arkansas and Georgia before closing the season with a trip to intrastate rival Mississippi State.
LSU (2-5, 0-5) has struggled since opening the season with wins over lightweights San Jose State and North Texas by a combined score of 81-21. Last week, the Tigers dropped their eighth straight league game, a 17-16 loss to Mississippi State on a controversial late touchdown.
The team has been plagued by turnovers, it has 22, and the inconsistent play of quarterback Josh Booty. Booty has thrown 12 interceptions this season against just three TD passes in 219 attempts.
Rondell Mealey leads the team with 484 rushing yards and six scores, but has not been as effective with the Tigers constantly needing to rally and have Booty make tougher plays.
In its five SEC games, LSU has tallied 60 points. It has lost a pair of one-point decisions, but lost the other three by a combined 81 points.
Ole Miss has won the last two meetings, but the Tigers hold a 48-35-4 edge all-time. LSU rallied from a 28-7 deficit last season to force overtime, but the Rebels pulled out a 37-31 victory.
