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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss Football Game Notes
9/2/2001 | Football
Sept. 2, 2001
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GAMEDAY INFORMATION
DATE: Saturday, September 8, 2001
TIME: 2:30 p.m.
SITE: Jordan-Hare Stadium (86,063) in Auburn, Ala.
TV: Saturday's game will be televised by Jefferson-Pilot, with David Steele calling the play-by-play, Dave Rowe providing color analysis, and Warren Peper reporting from the sidelines.
RADIO: Saturday's game and all Ole Miss games can be heard on stations along the Ole Miss Football Radio Network (David Kellum, play-by-play, Pete Cordelli, color analyst, Stan Sandroni, sideline reporter, Gary Darby, pregame show host). The radio broadcast can also be heard on the official Ole Miss athletic website at www.Ole MissSports.com.
IN THE POLLS: Ole Miss is ranked in neither of this week's ESPN/USA Today Coaches or Associated Press Top 25 polls. The Rebels did, however, receive eight votes in the Coaches poll and six in The AP rankings.
SERIES INFO: Saturday's game will be the 26th meeting all-time between Ole Miss and Auburn dating back to 1928. The Tigers lead the series 18-7, and hold an 8-1 advantage in games played at Auburn. Ole Miss won its first-ever game at Auburn in 1999 when the Rebels edged the Tigers 24-17 in overtime. Auburn, however, won last year's contest 35-27 in Oxford and have won seven of the last eight meetings since 1993.
THE COACHES: David Cutcliffe is in his third full season as head coach of the Ole Miss Rebels. He is 17-9 with the Rebels since taking over the program on Dec. 6, 1998, less than a month prior to leading Ole Miss to a 35-18 win in his head coaching debut against Texas Tech in the Sanford Independence Bowl. This is Cutcilffe's first head coaching position. Prior to coming to Ole Miss, he spent 17 seasons as an assistant on both Johnny Majors' and Phillip Fulmer's staffs at Tennessee. Cutcliffe is 1-1 against Auburn and Tiger head coach Tommy Tuberville ... Tommy Tuberville is in his third season as head coach of the Auburn Tigers. He is 15-10 with the Tigers and is 40-30 in his seventh season as a collegiate head coach. Tuberville coached Ole Miss for four seasons from 1995-1998, compiling a 25-20 mark with the Rebels. Tuberville is 1-1 against Ole Miss and Rebel head coach David Cutcliffe.
AUBURN SCOUTING REPORT: Auburn opened its season with a 30-0 win over Ball State, last Saturday in Auburn. The Tigers recorded 385 yards of total offense while limiting the Cardinals to just 92. Redshirt freshman QB Jason Campbell completed 16-of-28 passes for 214 yards and one TD, connecting with nine different receivers. Sophomore TE Robert Johnson caught three passes for 63 yards, including a 44-yard TD pass. Redshirt freshman TB Ronnie Brown netted 67 yards rushing on five carries and scored on a 43-yard rush. Defensively, sophomore RT Spencer Johnson recorded a team-high five tackles against Ball State. Sophomore JLB Dontarrious Thomas registered four tackles, and had two QB sacks for minus seven yards. On special teams, junior P Damon Duval averaged 44.8 yards per punt on four kicks last Saturday. Duval was also 3-of-4 on field goal attempts. He made kicks of 30, 35 and 51 yards, while having a 24-yard attempt blocked in the fourth quarter.
2001 AUBURN SCHEDULE/RESULTS (1-0)BALL STATE W, 30-0OLE MISS* 2:30 PMat LSU* 8:00 pmat Syracuse TBAat Vanderbilt* 6 pmMISSISSIPPI STATE* 1 PMFLORIDA* 1 PMLOUISIANA TECH 1 PMat Arkansas* 6 pmat Georgia* TBAALABAMA* 1 PMREBEL GAME NOTES
REBEL NOTEBOOK
* Ole Miss is looking for its fourth 2-0 start in the last six years. The Rebels started 2-0 in 1996, 1997 and 1999 during the last five years.
* The Rebels have a +8 in takeaway/giveaway ratio since last season. Ole Miss was a +1 versus Murray State, as the Rebels forced two turnovers while committing one.
* The Rebels' 49-14 win over Murray State marked their 20th consecutive regular-season victory over a non-conference opponent. Including bowl games, Ole Miss has won 23 of their last 24 games against non-conference opponents.
REBELS LOOK TO SNAP SEC-OPENER SKID: Ole Miss enters Saturday's game at Auburn looking to snap a streak of eight consecutive losses in SEC openers. The last time the Rebels won their first SEC game was against Auburn, 45-21 in Oxford in 1992. Auburn has handed Ole Miss seven of those eight SEC opening losses, including a 35-27 defeat last year in Oxford. Since the formation of the SEC in 1933, Ole Miss is 28-36-3 (.440 winning percentage) in SEC openers, including a 13-21-3 (.392 winning percentage) road mark. The Rebels have opened its SEC schedule with Auburn 15 times previously, going 2-13 (.133 winning percentage). Ole Miss has played only Kentucky more often (25 times) in its SEC opener than Auburn.
REBELS ON TV: Saturday's telecast by Jefferson-Pilot of the Ole Miss-Auburn is the first of three Rebel games scheduled to be televised this season. JP is also scheduled to carry Ole Miss' Sept. 15 game against Vanderbilt (11:30 a.m.) and, for the fourth consecutive year, ESPN will televise the Rebels' regular-season finale against Mississippi State on Thanksgiving Night, Nov. 22 (6:30 p.m.). Last year, Ole Miss made a school record eight TV appearances, including two on JP. All-time, this will be the Rebels' 113th televised game, including the 20th by JP. Ole Miss has a 50-60-2 (.455 winning percentage) in TV games, and is 10-9 (.526 winning percentage) on JP. Ole Miss is 2-9 all-time against Auburn in TV games.
FIRST-TIME STARTERS: Ole Miss had 14 first-time starters - seven on defense, five on offense and two on special teams - in this past Saturday's game with Murray State:
DEFENSE: Sophomore, DE Charlie Anderson (Jackson, Miss.), sophomore DE Josh Cooper (Marietta, Ga.), sophomore FS Von Hutchins (Natchez, Miss.), senior RT Kenny Jackson (New Orleans, La.), junior LCB Desmon Johnson (Okmulgee, Okla.), sophomore WLB L.P. Spence (Corinth, Miss.), and sophomore SS Marcus Woodson (Moss Point, Miss.).
OFFENSE: Redshirt freshman OL Doug Buckles (Madison, Miss.), sophomore WR Chris Collins (Liberty, Miss.), redshirt freshman WR Trey Fryfogle (Lucedale, Miss.), redshirt freshman RG Marcus Johnson (Coffeeville, Miss.), and sophomore QB Eli Manning (New Orleans, La.).
SPECIAL TEAMS: Redshirt freshman Jonathan Nichols (Greenwood, Miss.) and redshirt punter Cody Ridgeway (Jackson, Tenn.).
DEBUTS: Ole Miss unofficially had 28 players see their first career action in this past Saturday's game with Murray State (an official participation list will be available Tuesday): Junior WR Jason Armstead (Moss Point, Miss.), redshirt freshman DL Daniel Booth (Amory, Miss), redshirt freshman OL Doug Buckles, redshirt freshman OL James Campbell (Olive Branch, Miss.), senior WR Shawn Clark (Holly Springs, Miss.), junior LB Clifton Collins (Liberty, Miss.), redshirt freshman WR Bill Flowers (Pelham, Ala.), redshirt freshman WR Trey Fryfogle (Lucedale, Miss.), junior DB Matt Grier (Smithville, Miss.), redshirt freshman TE Bo Hartsfield (Birmingham, Ala.), freshman RB Bran-don Jacobs (Long Beach, Miss.), redshirt freshman DB Kerry Johnson (Oxford, Miss.), redshirt freshman OL Marcus Johnson, junior DB Chris Knight (Pearl, Miss.), junior DE Germain Landrum (Detroit, Mich.), senior OL Travis Macon (Starkville, Miss.), senior RB John Meeks (Walnut, Miss.), freshman LB Brad Nich-ols (Braintree, Miss.), redshirt freshman PK Jonathan Nichols (Greenwood, Miss.), freshman DB Eric Oliver (Jasper, Ala.), redshirt freshman WR Chad Pilcher (West Monroe, La.), sophomore OL Don Prince (Huntsville, Ala.), redshirt freshman FB Rick Razzano (Milford, Ohio), redshirt freshman P Cody Ridgeway (Jackson, Tenn.), redshirt freshman LB Rob Robert-son (Centreville, Miss.), redshirt freshman DL Cory Robinson (Knoxville, Tenn.), junior LB L.P. Spence (Corinth, Miss.) and redshirt freshman OL Shelby VanEvery (Columbus, Miss.).
REBELS STILL LAST TO BEAT OKLAHOMA: Ole Miss still holds the distinction of being the last team to defeat defending national champion Oklahoma as the Sooners extended their winning streak to 15 straight, with a 44-3 win over Air Force last Saturday. The Rebels handed the Sooners their last loss, 27-25 in the 1999 Sanford Independence Bowl when Les Binkley booted a 39-yard game-winning field goal as time expired.
OFFENSIVE NOTES:
* Eleven different players caught at least one pass in Ole Miss' 49-14 win over Murray State, led by sophomore WR Chris Collins' six receptions for 100 yards and three TDs.
* The 100-yard receiving effort by Chris Collins was his first career 100-yard receiving game, and the first by an Ole Miss player since Grant Heard caught seven passes for 169 yards and two TDs last year against UNLV.
* Senior WR Omar Rayford (Holly Springs, Miss.) caught four passes for 81 yards and a TD to extend his streak to 11 consecutive games with a reception.
* Senior RB Joe Gunn (Amory, Miss.) and junior RB Robert Williams (Gadsden, Ala.) combined for 123 yards on 24 carries - an average of 5.1 yards per carry - and a score this past Saturday against Murray State. Gunn had 65 yards on 15 carries with a TD, and Williams added 58 yards on nine rushing attempts.
* Sophomore QB Eli Manning engineered scoring drives in 6-of-8 series he started against Murray State - all of them touchdowns. Including last December's Music City Bowl, Manning has led Ole Miss to nine TDs in the last 12 drives he has quarterbacked.
* Ole Miss' six scoring drives against Murray State averaged 7.5 plays, 68 yards and took 3:28 in time of possession. The Rebels' longest drive was a 13-play, 80-yard march that ran 6:33 off the clock and was capped by Joe Gunn's one-yard run to make it 35-7 in the third quarter. The shortest, took two plays and covered 25 yards in 36 seconds and was set-up by Syniker Taylor's (Gulfport, Miss.) 25-yard interception return.
* The Rebels are 10-3 under Head Coach David Cutcliffe when having a rusher go over the 100-yard mark.
* Ole Miss' six fumbles against Murray State was its most since fumbling seven times at SMU on Sept. 26, 1998. The Rebels, however, lost just one of their six fumbles against the Racers. Ole Miss had only 14 fumbles in 12 games last season.
MANNING SHINES IN STARTING DEBUT: Sophomore QB Eli Manning completed 20-of-23 passes for 271 and a school record five TD passes in his Ole Miss starting debut against Murray State, before leaving the game late in the third quarter with Ole Miss leading 42-7. At one point, Manning completed 18 straight passes as he completed 87.0-percent of his passes on the night. The 87.0 completion percentage ranks as the third-best single-game total in school history, with a minimum of 16 attempts. The following chart breaks down Manning's totals from last Saturday by quarter:
Quarter Att-Cmp-Int Yds TD LngFirst 10-8-0 130 2 30Second 6-6-0 82 2 23Third 7-6-0 59 1 11Fourth - - - -Totals 23-20-0 271 5 30MANNING SETS SINGLE-GAME MARK FOR TD PASSES: It didn't take sophomore QB Eli Manning long to put his name in the Ole Miss record book, as he threw five TD passes against Murray State, breaking the Ole Miss single-game record in his first career start. The previous mark was four held by Charlie Conerly (1947 vs. Tennessee), Glynn Griffing (1962 vs. Houston), Shug Chumbler (1970 vs. Chattanooga), John Fourcade (1980 vs. Alabama) and Romaro Miller (1998 vs. LSU). Manning connected on TD strikes of 17 and 21 yards to Chris Collins, 23 yards to Omar Rayford, five yards again to Collins, and he broke the record with a six-yard toss to TE Bo Hartsfield.
MANNING COMPLETES 18 STRAIGHT AGAINST RACERS: Sophomore QB Eli Manning set a school single-game record with 18 straight completions against Murray State this past Saturday night, bettering Kent Austin's record of 15 consecutive set against Tennessee on Nov. 13, 1982. Manning's 18 straight completions is also the third-longest streak in SEC history behind Tennessee's Tee Martin, with 24 set over two games against Alabama (1) and South Carolina (23) in 1994, and Austin with 20 over two games against Tulane (5) and Tennessee (15) in 1992.
Manning's stretch started with a five-yard completion to senior WR Jamie Armstrong (Plantersville, Miss.) after his first two pass attempts of the game were incomplete. The run lasted until midway through the third quarter when a swing pass to RB Joe Gunn fell incomplete. The following chart shows the results Manning's 18 consecutive completions:
Down- BallDistance On Receiver Result First Quarter1-10 UM 23 Jamie Armstrong +51-10 UM 35 Chris Collins +91-10 UM 49 Omar Rayford +272-12 MS 26 Mitch Skrmetta +93-3 MS 17 Chris Collins TD3-2 UM 26 Chris Collins +301-10 MS 33 Omar Rayford +121-10 MS 21 Chris Collins TD Second Quarter2-10 UM 24 Jamie Armstrong +181-10 MS 25 Ross Barkley +72-8 MS 23 Omar Rayford TD1-10 UM 32 Trey Fryfogle +112-11 UM 42 Chris Collins +183-4 MS 5 Chris Collins TD Third Quarter2-9 UM 21 Jamie Armstrong +63-3 UM 27 Joe Gunn +111-10 MS 47 Robert Williams +73-11 MS 48 Jamie Armstrong +10COLLINS TIES SINGLE-GAME RECORD FOR TD RECEPTIONS: Sophomore WR Chris Collins (Liberty, Miss.) was one of QB Eli Manning's favorite targets against Murray State this past Saturday. Collins was on the receiving end of three of Manning's school-record five TD passes. Collins scored on passes of 17, 21 and five yards to tie the Ole Miss single-game record held by Johnny Brewer (1960 vs. Tulane), Louis Guy (1962 vs. Houston) and Pat Coleman (1989 vs. Arkansas State).
GUNN NEARING 2,000: Senior RB Joe Gunn (Amory, Miss.) is 56 yards rushing away from becoming the fifth player in Ole Miss history to rush for 2,000 yards in a career. Gunn currently has 1,944 career rushing yards after gaining 65 yards on 15 carries with a TD this past Saturday against Murray State. He ranks fifth on the Ole Miss career rushing list and needs 191 yards to tie Leon Perry (1976-1979) for fourth-place with 2,135 yards. The following chart shows the top five leading rusher in Ole Miss history:
Player, Pos., Years Yards1. Deuce McAllister, RB, 1997-2000 3,0602. Kayo Dottley, FB, 1947-50 2,6543. Dou Innocent, RB, 1991-92, 1994-92 2,3224. Leon Perry, FB, 1976-79 2,1355. Joe Gunn, RB, 1998-present 1,944HANDS OFF: Coming into the 2001 season, the Ole Miss offensive line has done a good job the past two years of keeping opponents' hands off Rebel quarterbacks. In fact, during that span, Ole Miss has allowed the fewest amount of sacks in the SEC with 23, eight less than the next school, Arkansas with 31. Last year, Ole Miss led the SEC and was tied for third in the nation for the fewest sacks allowed with seven. The following charts show the top five teams in the nation from a year ago for the fewest sacks allowed, and the top five teams in the SEC that have allowed the fewest sacks over the past two seasons:
FEWEST SACKS IN THE SEC LAST TWO SEASONS (1999-2000)School No.1. Ole Miss 232. Arkansas 313. Georgia 334. LSU 375. Florida 44METCALF ON LOMBARDI, OUTLAND TROPHY AWARD "WATCH LISTS": Senior OT Terrence Metcalf (Clarksdale, Miss.) has been named to both the Lombardi and Outland Trophy Award "watch lists." Metcalf is one 52 preliminary candidates for the 32nd annual Rotary Lombardi Award, presented to the nation's top lineman (offense or defense). The winner will be selected from a list of 12 semifinalists on Dec. 5 in Houston.
FEWEST SACKS ALLOWED IN THE NATION LAST SEASONSchool No.1. Toledo 52. Boston College 6T3. Ole Miss 7 Iowa State 7 Ohio University 7
The Outland Trophy is awarded to the nation's top interior offensive or defensive lineman. Metcalf is one of 26 players to be named to the award's watch list. The 2001 Outland Trophy winner will be named Dec. 6 on the ESPN College Football Awards Show from Orlando, Fla.
METCALF RATED BY THE SPORTING NEWS AS TOP OFFENSIVE GUARD FOR THE 2002 NFL DRAFT: Senior OT Terrence Metcalf was rated by The Sporting News as the nation's top prospect at offensive guard for the 2002 NFL Draft, in its 2002 NFL Draft Preview. Metcalf has played both guard and tackle during his career at Ole Miss, and started at left tackle last Saturday against Murray State. In its preview, The Sporting News said Metcalf could go as high as some of the top offensive tackles.
METCALF EARNS PRESEASON ALL-AMERICA, ALL-SEC ACCOLADES: Senior OT Terrence Metcalf raked in the preseason accolades this summer as he earned first team preseason All-America honors and was a consensus preseason first team All-SEC selection by the major publications. The following chart shows Metcalf's accolades during the 2001 preseason:
ALL-AMERICAAthlon (Second Team)Blue Ribbon College Football Yearbook (First team)Football Action (First Team)Football News (First Team)Lindy's (First Team)Playboy (First Team)Preview Sports (Second Team)Street & Smith (First Team)CLAXTON AND METCALF RATED HIGH BY LINDY'S: Junior C Ben Claxton (Dub-lin, Ga.) and senior OT Terrence Metcalf were both rated by Lindy's magazine as one of the top players in the country at their respective positions. The magazine tabbed Metcalf as the nation's third-best offensive tackle heading into 2001, while Claxton was selected as the nation's seventh-best center. Lindy's also tabbed Claxton a first team preseason All-SEC selection, and he also earned first team preseason All-SEC honors from Blue Ribbon College Football Yearbook and at SEC Media Days.
ALL-SECAthlon (First Team)The Birmingham News (First Team)Blue Ribbon College Football Yearbook (First Team)Lindy's (First Team)Phipps & Regions Banks (First Team)Preview Sports (First Team)Southeastern Post (First Team)Street & Smith (First Team)SEC Media Days (First Team)
STRONG NAMED TO BUTKUS AWARD "WATCH LIST:" Junior LB Eddie Strong (Batesville, Miss.) is one of 69 players to be named to the "watch list" for the 2001 Butkus Award, given annually to the nation's top linebacker. The list will be pared to 10 semi-finalists on Oct. 18 and then to three finalists on Nov. 8. The winner will be announced Fri., Dec. 7 at the Butkus Award Gala in Orlando, Fla. Strong was ranked by Lindy's as the nation's fifth-best outside linebacker heading into 2001. Lindy's also tabbed Strong as a first team preseason All-SEC selection, and he earned second team preseason All-SEC honors from The Birmingham News and at SEC Media Days.
TAYLOR NAMED TO JIM THORPE AWARD "WATCH LIST": Senior DB Syniker Taylor was one of 38 players across the country named to the 2001 preseason "watch list" for the Jim Thorpe Award, which is presented to the nation's top defensive back. A screening committee will narrow the field to 10 semifinalists, which will be announced the first week in November. That list will be submitted to a national selection committee consisting of coaches, journalists and former players from around the nation. Three finalists will then be announced the Monday before Thanksgiving and be invited to ESPN's College Football Awards Show at Disney World in Orlando, Fla., where the winner will be announced Dec. 6.
Taylor was unofficially credited with six tackles this past Saturday against Murray State, tying sophomore SS Marcus Woodson for the team-high. Taylor also intercepted a pass and returned it 25 yards. The pick was the eighth of his career.
TAYLOR EARNS PRESEASON ALL-SEC HONORS: Senior DB Syniker Taylor was named to The Birmingham News first team preseason All-SEC team, and he earned second team honors from Lindy's, The Southeastern Post, and at SEC Media Days. Lindy's also ranked Taylor as the nation's 18th-best safety coming into the 2001 season. Taylor was a second team All-SEC selection by The Associated Press in 2000 after registering 67 tackles, 43 solo, 19 passes defensed and three interceptions.
DEFENSIVE NOTES
* The Rebels improved to 11-0 under Head Coach David Cutcliffe when allowing less than 20 points in a game after their 49-14 win over Murray State.
* Ole Miss limited the Racers to 252 yards of total offense and is 8-0 under David Cutcliffe when allowing less than 300 yards of total offense.
* Murray State completed 46.7-percent of its passes against Ole Miss this past Saturday night, connecting on 14-of-30 for 126 yards with one TD and two interceptions. Last season, opponents completed 47.1-percent of its passes against Ole Miss - the lowest in the SEC - and the Rebels ranked first in the SEC and ninth nationally in pass efficiency defense.
* JUCO transfer Matt Grier recorded his first career interception in the fourth quarter against Murray State.
* Murray State marched 56 yards in five plays for a TD on its opening possession this past Saturday night. Last year, Ole Miss allowed opponents to score just one TD on its opening series, that by West Virginia in the Music City Bowl.
STRONG RETURNS: Junior LB Eddie Strong saw his first action since the 1999 Sanford Independence Bowl against Oklahoma when he started at SLB this past Saturday against Murray State. Strong missed all of last season with a stress fracture in his left foot suffered during preseason drills. He was credited with five tackles (two solo) in last Saturday's 49-14 win over Murray State. Strong was a second team All-SEC selection by the Coaches in 1999 after leading Ole Miss in tackles with 72, including seven TFLs and 3.5 QB sacks.
THOMAS WEARING CHUCKY MULLINS' NO. 38: Senior LB Kevin Thomas (Courtland, Miss.) received the 2001 Chucky Mullins Courage Award this spring, and as a result, is wearing the late Mullins' No. 38 this season. Thomas appeared in all 12 games last season, drawing 11 starts. He registered 59 tackles, including 35 solo. In 33 career regular-season games, Thomas has tallied 78 tackles (43 solo) with three TFLs for 14 yards and one QB sack for seven yards.
SPECIAL TEAMS NOTES:
* JUCO transfer Jason Armstead returned his first career kickoff return 93 yards for a score in the fourth quarter against Murray State to make it 49-14.
* Armstead's kickoff return marks the third consecutive year that Ole Miss has returned a kickoff for a TD. Deuce McAllister returned the game-opening kickoff 100 yards for a score against Arkansas in 1999, and Robert Williams had a 97-yard kickoff return for a score last year at Arkansas.
* Redshirt freshman Jonathan Nichols converted on all seven of his extra-point attempts against Murray State after taking over the place-kicking duties from the graduated Les Binkley.
OLE MISS SETS NEW MARK FOR SEASON TICKETS SOLD:For the third straight year Ole Miss established a new record for football season tickets sold with 37,774. Home games against Alabama (Oct. 13), Middle Tennessee State (Oct. 20), Arkansas (Nov. 3) and Georgia (Nov. 17) are sold out. There are still approximately 700 tickets left for the Sept. 15 home game against Vanderbilt.
ONLY OLE MISS ... PART I: Ole Miss enters the 2001 campaign as the only SEC Western Division team to have advanced to a bowl game in each of the past four seasons. The four-year bowling streak by the Rebels is their longest since setting a then-national record with 15 consecutive bowl berths from 1957-to-1971.
ONLY OLE MISS ... PART II: How successful was the 2000-2001 academic year for Ole Miss' athletic programs? Well, the Rebels can lay claim to an accomplishment all their own as Ole Miss was the only NCAA Division I school to have its football team play in a bowl game, its men's basketball team reach the NCAA Tournament "Sweet 16," and have its baseball team advance to an NCAA Regional.
REBELS AIM FOR FIFTH STRAIGHT WINNING SEASON: Ole Miss is in search of its fifth straight winning season after finishing with a 7-5 mark last season. The Rebels' current run of four straight winning campaigns is their longest such streak since stringing together seven straight from 1965--1971.
Ole Miss has won at least seven games in each of the past four years, going 8-4, 7-5, 8-4 and 7-5. It is the first time the Rebels have registered four straight seven-win campaigns since doing so from 1968-1971. A fifth-straight, seven-win campaign in 2001 would mark the first time the Rebels have done so since legendary coach John Vaught's teams reeled off 12 consecutive seven-win seasons from 1952-1963.
REBELS PICKED FOR SIXTH IN THE SEC WEST: Ole Miss was picked to finish sixth in the SEC Western Division by a panel of 84 media members at SEC Media Days. LSU is the preseason favorite to capture the SEC West crown, while Florida is the pick to win the SEC East. The Gators are also favored to win the overall SEC championship, receiving 66 of a possible 84 votes. The Rebels did receive one vote to win the overall SEC title. The following is the SEC's predicted order of finish:
WEST EAST1. LSU (40) 1. Florida (78)2. Mississippi St. (34) 2. Tennessee (5)3. Alabama (8) 3. South Carolina (1)4. Auburn (1) 4. Georgia5. Arkansas 5. Vanderbilt6. Ole Miss (1) 6. Kentucky
OVERALL CHAMPION: Florida 66, Mississippi State 4, Tennessee 4, LSU 2, Alabama 1, Ole Miss 1, South Carolina 1.
OLE MISS TO PLAY FIVE BOWL TEAMS IN 2001: Saturday's game at Auburn will mark the first of five Ole Miss opponents that appeared in a bowl game last season. The following chart shows the five schools, the bowl they participated in and its final 2000 record:
School Bowl '00 RecordAuburn Citrus 9-4LSU Peach 8-4Arkansas Las Vegas 6-6Georgia Oahu 8-4Miss. State Independence 8-4
