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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Rebels Set To Host 6th-Ranked Gators Saturday
9/30/2002 | Football
Sept. 30, 2002
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OXFORD, Miss. - The Ole Miss Rebels renew a Southeastern Conference rivalry when they take on the Florida Gators at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium/Hollingsworth Field this Saturday. Kickoff is scheduled for 11:00 a.m., as Ole Miss will play host to a national television audience with CBS airing the game as part of a SEC doubleheader.
Saturday's game will mark the 20th time the two schools have met and the first encounter since 1995. While the series is even at 9-9-1, the Gators hold a 4-1 advantage in games played in Oxford. Florida earned its fourth win of the season under first-year head coach Ron Zook. The Gators also recorded their second SEC conference win by downing Kentucky 41-34. The Rebels are preparing for this weekend's game after their first off weekend of the young season. Ole Miss head coach David Cutcliffe said that he used the down time to get the team healthy for this weekends matchup.
"Coming off the open date we had a chance to get some people a little healthier," said Cutcliffe. "We got a lot a work in last week despite the elements. I'm glad its back to game week."
While Ole Miss enters this weekend's game unranked, the Gators are ranked in the top 10 in both polls, holding the No. 6 ranking in the Associated Press poll and the No. 8 position in the ESPN\USA Today Coaches poll. With Nebraska's loss on Saturday, Florida now holds the longest active streak of being ranked in the Top 25 in both polls. But Cutcliffe said that the team is pumped up when it comes to getting back on the field this Saturday.
"Our team is very aware and very excited about this opportunity," Cutcliffe said. "All of the challenges are real obvious to them. It's a great challenge and I don't think it's something I have to play out in front of them."
The game is primed to feature one of the most dynamic quarterback match-ups of the season, as Ole Miss' Eli Manning faces off against Florida's Rex Grossman. Both are nearly even in every statistical category, with Manning holding a 56 percent completion rate and Grossman at 56.4 percent in passing efficiency. In fact, both quarterbacks are at or near the top of every major category in the conference. Grossman's 285.8 passing yards per game leads the SEC while Manning is second with 281.5 per game. Manning's 286.5 total yards per game leads the SEC in total offense, while Grossman comes into this weekend's game ranked third with 279 yards per game. Manning holds a slight advantage in touchdown-to-interception ratio with 9 touchdowns to only 2 interceptions. Manning is coming off back-to-back 350 +yards passing games and is currently in the midst of 16 straight games with a touchdown pass. While the focus may be on the quarterback match-up, Manning said that he is more concerned with Florida's defense.
"I'm not so much worried about Rex as I am Florida's defense," said Manning. "They are a good defensive team. John Thompson (Florida's defensive coordinator) does a lot of different things on defense with some three-down stuff and having guys in some different positions."
As both Cutcliffe and Manning pointed out, both teams look similar when it comes to the offensive side of the ball, whether passing or running the ball.
"This is the best team I have ever faced," Manning said. "They like to set up the run by throwing the ball, which is what we do."
Defensively, the Rebels are led by sophomore defensive back Eric Oliver with 29 total tackles. Under first-year defensive coordinator Chuck Driesbach, the Rebels are only giving up 108 rushing yards per game. Overall, Cutcliffe said that he is pleased with the continued progress the Rebels are continuing to display on the practice field and in the games.
"The reality is that if you are going to play well, you have to practice and prepare well," Cutcliffe said. "Certainly we feel like we have made good progress defensively. I feel good about our physical preparation and the physical parts of the game."
While the Rebels have been bitten by the injury bug this season, one good thing for the Rebel defensive is the return of Eddie Strong and Bryant Thomas to the practice field.
"We are going to Eddie Strong back to work this week," Cutcliffe said. "Bryant Thomas is back practicing full speed, and he is certainly in the mix."
