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The University of Mississippi Athletics
GAMEDAY PREVIEW: No. 19 Ole Miss at Auburn
10/31/2015 | Football
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AUBURN, Ala. - Ole Miss has the opportunity to control its own destiny in the SEC West. Today's road game at Auburn (11 a.m. CT, ESPN) on Halloween is the next obstacle in the Rebels' way.
Last year's game is in the past. And despite Auburn's struggles this season, head coach Hugh Freeze and the No. 19 Ole Miss Rebels (6-2, 3-1 SEC) know that they will get Auburn's (4-3, 1-3 SEC) best.
"Knowing (Auburn head coach) Gus (Malzahn) like I know him, he is going to have his kids ready to play," Freeze said. "They'll have a great plan and be hungry for success at home. There's nothing like returning at home in front of your people to help you get that boost of energy that you need. I expect we'll see the best Auburn team of the entire year."
Ole Miss comes off an impressive conference win against then-No. 15 Texas A&M. The Rebels' defense limited an explosive Aggie offense to only 192 yards. Meanwhile, the offense piled up 230 yards rushing en route to a 23-3 victory.
Wide receiver Laquon Treadwell had his third straight game of at least 100 yards and a touchdown. Treadwell suffered a season-ending injury in last year's loss to Auburn, a matchup that was crucial to the College Football Playoff race. Freeze believes focusing too much on revenge is a distraction and thinks his top receiver is focused and ready to play.
"I think he has had enough games under his belt now where I don't know if that would really matter to him," said Freeze.
The Tigers come off a heartbreaking 54-46 loss at Arkansas in four overtimes. The SEC media's preseason pick to win the league title, Auburn has had trouble stopping opponents, giving up a league-worst 29.7 points per outing. Auburn has been good on third downs offensively, leading the SEC with a 46.7 conversion percentage. Sophomore RB Peyton Barber has been a bright spot for the Tigers. He ranks sixth in the SEC with 110.0 rushing yards per game and third with 12 touchdowns.
The Landshark defense regained its identity last week, limiting a talented Aggie offense to just 192 yards with three takeaways. Texas A&M was limited to a 40.0 completion percentage and threw an interception.
"We mix it up between press, off and bail," said Freeze about the secondary. "They had so much talent, which if they were able to run quick screens and take advantage of our off-coverage, it can become a 40-yard play in a heartbeat. So that's what I thought we had to do against (Texas A&M). I thought our guys did well with it."
Ole Miss expects to get back All-American defensive tackle Robert Nkemdiche, who was withheld last week due to a concussion.
As for the offense, the success has continued. Quarterback Chad Kelly remains the league leader in passing, total offense, passing touchdowns, pass efficiency and points responsible for.
Running back Jaylen Walton, who is second in school history in all-purpose yards, had 97 yards rushing last week against the Aggies. He saw holes open up thanks to the return of All-American tackle Laremy Tunsil.
It wasn't just Tunsil's individual performance, but the return of players to their original positions and a regained confidence that reflected an overall improvement in the offensive front. They will take on an Auburn defense that allows a league-worst 430.6 yards per game.
"Laremy is arguably the best tackle in America," noted Freeze. "If you play defenses like you play the other night, it is important to have him. I think that allowing people to move them into their normal positions gets them to a more confident level as well. Playing right tackle is different than playing left tackle. Fahn (Cooper) played his best game too. He really played well. I don't know if that is confidence from having Laremy back and moving back to right for the majority of the game, but he played very well, as did Aaron Morris and Javon Patterson. They all did some really good things. It is nice to have him back."
This marks the 40th meeting all-time between Ole Miss and Auburn dating back to 1928. The Tigers lead the series 29-10 overall and 14-2 in Auburn. The Rebels' last win over the Tigers was a 41-20 victory in Freeze's first season in 2012. The Rebels' last win on the Plains was a 24-20 triumph in 2003.
