Mississippi (2-2, 0-1 SEC) at No. 12 Auburn (4-1, 2-0), Saturday, Noon ET (SEC Network). Line: Auburn by 21. Series record: Auburn leads 30-11. WHAT’S AT STAKE The Tigers are trying to win their third straight game to start the
Mississippi (2-2, 0-1 SEC) at No. 12 Auburn (4-1, 2-0), Saturday, Noon ET (SEC Network).
Line: Auburn by 21.
Series record: Auburn leads 30-11.
WHAT’S AT STAKE
The Tigers are trying to win their third straight game to start the SEC schedule and further establish themselves as legitimate Western Division contenders. Ole Miss wants a strong bounce-back from a 66-3 loss at No. 1 Alabama.
KEY MATCHUP
The Rebels’ passing game against Auburn’s secondary. Ole Miss still has the league’s top passing attack behind QB Shea Patterson and WRs A.J. Brown and DaMarcus Lodge despite a rough game against Alabama. DBs Carlton Davis and Tray Matthews lead the Tigers’ pass defense, which ranks second in the SEC.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Mississippi: Patterson. His 361.5 passing yards per game leads the SEC and ranks fourth nationally despite a two-interception performance against the Crimson Tide. He had thrown for at least 363 yards in each of the first three games.
Auburn: RB Kerryon Johnson has rushed for eight touchdowns in the past two games while still nursing a right hamstring injury. Johnson faces one of the SEC’s worst run defenses. It is unclear how healthy backfield mate Kamryn Pettway will be after playing sparingly last week and missing the previous game.
FACTS & FIGURES
Auburn is the only FBS team that hasn’t allowed more than 14 points in a game this season. … The Tigers have scored 100 points in their first two SEC games for the first time, beating Missouri 51-14 and Mississippi State 49-10. … Auburn QB Jarrett Stidham leads the SEC and ranks eighth nationally with a 72 percent completion rate. He has had only 12 incompletions in the last three games combined. … Rebels defensive coordinator Wesley McGriff was Auburn’s co-defensive coordinator/secondary coach last season. … Ole Miss has nine wins over Top-15 teams in the last four years. … Brown and Lodge are Nos. 1 and 2 in the SEC in receiving yards per game for Ole Miss.
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