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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss Prepares for Homecoming Date with Middle Tennessee
10/15/2001 | Football
Oct. 15, 2001
OXFORD, Miss. - Ole Miss is hoping to avoid a letdown following one of its biggest wins in the last decade in the minds of many, when the Rebels (41-, 2-1 SEC) take on the Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders (5-1, 3-1 Sun Belt) on Saturday. The game will be the annual Homecoming celebration for the Rebels.
Ole Miss head coach David Cutcliffe is hoping his team will see that even though it was able to pull off the 27-24 win against Alabama, a team can always continue to improve. He is also hoping they will understand that it is a good Middle Tennessee State team it is preparing to play.
"When you watch the tape of yourself and see all the things you have to correct, and, when you watch the tape of Middle Tennessee, that is going to be sobering to all of these guys," Cutcliffe said. "Their focus will quickly turn to Middle Tennessee. We already have the staff in that mode, and our players will get into that mode rather quickly this afternoon."
The Rebels are preparing to face a Middle Tennessee team that enters the game with a 5-1 overall record, with its only loss coming this past weekend on the road at North Texas. The Blue Raiders have already beaten one Southeastern Conference team on the road in Vanderbilt, and Ole Miss does not want to be the next to fall.
Ole Miss will be facing an offense which is one of the most explosive in the nation this season. The Rebel defense will have yet another test on its hands with the Blue Raiders who are averaging 41 points a game behind the leadership of quarterback Wes Counts.
"They are making big plays at wide receiver and at running back," Cutcliffe said. "They are as balanced an offensive team as I've seen. They get in the shotgun and run it equally as well as they can throw it."
Ole Miss is coming off a game which saw it surrender no rushing yards and only 17 passing yards in the fourth quarter to Alabama, while wracking up 270 yards of offense itself in the second half on the way to a come from behind win. The performance earned Ole Miss quarterback Eli Manning Offensive Player of the Week Honors for the SEC. Manning was 22 of 41 for the day for a career high 325 yards in the 27-24 win.
"He's playing tough," Cutcliffe said. "He's thrown the ball well under pressure, and he's making good decisions. He is going to continue to get better. I'm excited about what he is doing, but I am more excited about where I think he can go."
The Rebels will also be looking to the defense to join with the Manning led offense again this weekend to hold off the non-conference foe. Junior linebacker Eddie Strong has stepped up to lead the defense with 11 tackles (8 solo) including three tackles for a loss of 11 yards. Joining Strong in the defensive effort was tackle Anthony Sims, who notched six tackles (3 solo) including three tackles for a loss of 4 yards and a quarterback sack.
Ole Miss and Middle Tennessee will kick off at 1 p.m. CST in Vaught-Hemingway Stadium at Hollingsworth Field. There is no television broadcast set for the game.
