Observations from the Best Seat in the House - Nov. 9 - Ole Miss Athletics

Austin Miller handled all of this week's edition of the Observations from the Best Seat in the House. Check out what he had to say below:

- The nation's best scoring defense finally got its first shutout of the season, as Ole Miss cruised to a 48-0 win over Presbyterian. The Rebels not only lead the nation in scoring (11.9 ppg), giving up a nation-low 13 touchdowns, but they extended the nation's longed forced turnover streak to 33 games.

- It was great to see Laquon Treadwell and Denzel Nkemdiche, both out with season-ending injuries, on the Ole Miss sideline with their No. 1 and No. 4 jersey adorning their respective scooters.

- With Treadwell out, Vince Sanders has been asked to step up as the team's No. 1 receiver, and he responded with a 100-yard receiving game and two touchdown receptions. One of the more underrated players, he ranks among the Southeastern Conference's leaders in most receiving categories and moved intoÂ the top 10 in school history with 11 career touchdown receptions.

- Ole Miss coaches and fans got an extended look at redshirt-freshmen quarterbacks DeVante Kincade and Ryan Buchanan in the second half. Kincade play three series and Buchanan played two series with each leading the Rebels on a touchdown drive. Kincade was 7-of-8 for 70 yards and carried the ball 10 times for 45 yards, while Buchanan went 6-of-7 for 28 yards.

- After losses by Auburn and LSU on Saturday, a possible path to the SEC Western Division title and the SEC Championship became much clearer for Ole Miss. The Rebels have to win on the road at Arkansas and at home against Mississippi State and then get help. Ole Miss fans need to cheer for Alabama to defeat Mississippi State, Georgia to defeat Auburn and Auburn to defeat Alabama. If the Rebels somehow win the SEC West and advance to the SEC Championship, they should send a Christmas card to head coach Kevin Sumlin and Texas A&M for their thrilling win on the road at Auburn.

- Ole Miss returned to the top 10 in the Associated Press and coaches polls, re-entering at No. 10 in both. In last week's College Football Playoff Top 25 rankings, the Rebels were the highest-ranked two-loss team in the nation and ranked ahead of four one-loss teams. It will be interesting to see how this week's CFB Top 25 compares to the Associated Press and Coaches polls.

- I was asked if a path to the four-team playoff was easier than a scenario where Ole Miss needed to win out and get help to advance to the SEC Championship game. Yes and no. Yes, it might be beneficial for Ole Miss if Alabama was to finish 12-1 or if Mississippi State was to enter the Egg Bowl 11-0 from a rÃ©sumÃ© standpoint. On the other hand, the CFB Playoff committee has been instructed to place an emphasis on conference championships, so if Ole Miss was to advance to the SEC Championship Game then it might also be beneficial. Simply put, win out and let the chips fall where they may.

- It was an exhibition game against Delta State, so take it for what it's worth, but the Ole Miss men's basketball team had four backcourt players finish in double figures, including a trio of newcomers in Stefan Moody, Roderick Lawrence and Terence Smith. Aside from the visible experience on the floor, two things stood out: perimeter shooting and perimeter defense. The Rebels shot 40.9 percent from 3-point range and forced 29 turnovers, turning them into 53 points.

- Some individual observations from Friday's exhibition: Moody is going to become a fan favorite with his high-energy play on both ends of the floor. Head coach Andy Kennedy said he's as explosive as they have had in the program. Lawrence and Smith are steady, efficient players who can help spread the floor and knock down perimeter shots. Dwight Coleby, known more for his shot-blocking and rebounding ability, appeared more comfortable on the offensive end.

- It might not be fair to compare the two games, but the first thing that stands out from the Ole Miss women's basketball team's exhibition game was the final score. Ole Miss defeated Christian Brothers 111-43, having defeated the same team 74-59 in last year's exhibition. There's a lot of youth on the roster, but it is clear head coach Matt Insell has raised the talent level in Oxford.

- One of the areas where the Rebels are young is in the backcourt, where Insell started a freshman point guard in Toree Thompson and a sophomore shooting guard in Erika Sisk. They combined for 38 points on 12-of-16 shooting, including 9-of-11 from 3-point range. Thompson appears to be the heir apparent to four-year starter Valencia McFarland, having scored 25 points to go along with nine assists and just three turnovers in her college debut.

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Observations from the Best Seat in the House - Nov. 9

Players Mentioned

Ryan Buchanan

DeVante Kincade

Denzel Nkemdiche

Laquon Treadwell

The University of Mississippi Athletics