Matt Luke’s team had to fall in our SEC Power Rankings even after a win. Their resume right now involves looking good in a loss to a Power Five school and then beating one of the worst teams in the league. Now, the Ole Miss Rebels, along with the South Carolina Gamecocks, are in a tier above the bottom tier. But we are in a major wait and see mode with both of them.
At quarterback, Marr Corral looked much better, and although the Memphis Tigers are significantly better than the Hogs, they actually may not be better on defense. So that improvement is legitimate and worth pointing out. The balance of the offense as a whole, with 493 yards in total, was something to praise.
However, this was a touchdown game in the fourth quarter. Now, to be fair, it was a touchdown game because, up 17-3, Ole Miss had a fumble returned the other way. After that they scored two more TDs to get back in control 31-17. So we’re still figuring out what to make of the program.
They’ll at least get a break this week when they host Southeastern Louisiana, but in a brutal draw, they go from visiting an elite Group of Five team to hosting a very good Power Five team in the California Golden Bears. That game is crucial to determine where they are, as they have to visit the Alabama Crimson Tide after that.