Rebels vs. Red Raiders

[DawgNsuds]

Much has been said about the Big 12 offenses going up against SEC defenses. Most of this conversation has been around Florida & Oklahoma. My question is, can the Ole Miss defense that is currently ranked 15 slow down Tech? Is this a mismatch like I think or are SEC defenses that much better than what they see in the Big 12?

 

[DawgNsuds]

Much has been said about the Big 12 offenses going up against SEC defenses. Most of this conversation has been around Florida & Oklahoma. My question is, can the Ole Miss defense that is currently ranked 15 slow down Tech? Is this a mismatch like I think or are SEC defenses that much better than what they see in the Big 12?

 

[DawgNsuds]

Much has been said about the Big 12 offenses going up against SEC defenses. Most of this conversation has been around Florida & Oklahoma. My question is, can the Ole Miss defense that is currently ranked 15 slow down Tech? Is this a mismatch like I think or are SEC defenses that much better than what they see in the Big 12?

 

[rebelrouseri]

in the SEC skewed our numbers. We are still vulnerable to the long pass (and short ones too) and will have to rely on completely taking away their running game and pressuring Harrel. Our d backs just are not very good.

 

[Nicky Santoro]

They are going to carve up Ole Miss. Ole Miss will put up a little fight but TTech will be to much for them.</p>

 

[Hanmudog]

I would like to see one those 62-14 type ball games myself. Maybe that would at least stop them from printing up another "Return to Glory" book.

 

[Coach34]

Oklahoma showed what happens to them when someone gets really physical, and the Rebels will get really physical...Nebraska almost beat TT in Lubbock also...if its a cold day, the Rebels win it...any team that can beat Fla and play with Bammer like they did, is a good team

you heard it here

 

[Optimus Prime 4]

and it's not like they can stop us. Plus, they are disappointed to be there, and probably won't care that much.

 

[o_MedReb]

Our defense has been playing really well the past few games, but we match up incredibly well against a pro-style offense. If you want to beat Ole Miss, you do it with slip screens, crossing patterns, sprint draws, and deep jump balls..... and all out of the shotgun formation. Unfortunately for us, that pretty much sums up TT's offensive gameplan. Their offensive strength is our defensive vulnerability. That is why so many of our fans were (unrealistically) hoping we played a Big 10 team in the Cap One bowl. But Oklahoma and Baylor showed that you can do something about that offense by bringing the heat. If we have a healthy front four (since that is our defensive strength), we should be able to get good pressure. If we don't, we are toast. On the flip side, their defense isn't shabby but isn't great. Long, sustained drives that end in scores.....that's the only way our defense will not be worn out by the 3rd quarter. I think we have a shot, but I think it is a bad match-up for the Rebs. I give the nod to TT.

 

[RebelShark]

We may get beat (and it could be ugly) but I like my chances against a team that had two recent scares by Baylor and Nebraska.

 

[patdog]

Harrell will see pressure like he hasn't seen except in the Oklahoma game. If he can get time to throw, he'll carve the UM secondary up, but he won't get time to throw. And UM will move the ball pretty much at will against TT's sieve of a defense. I do think TT will win, but it'll be a close game.

 

[Stansfield]

This will be one of the better bowls.

 

[JimHalpert.nafoom]

that 11 of the 12 defenses in the SEC are ranked higher than the Big 12's best defense (Texas). We'll definitely be the best defense they've faced, but we're going to have to really step up the pass coverage to keep it from being a track meet.

 

[bonedaddy401]

That's debatable.

 

[thunderclap]

is their front four are good enough to get pressure, stop the run, so they can leave seven back.

 

[DawgNsuds]

Statistically yes, but then again, so do we. Not sure this isn't comparing apples to oranges, but it makes for some good conversation until they meet.

Defensive Rankings

 

[RebelBruiser]

That's been a big argument all year (SEC defenses or Big 12 offenses), and it's going to be a bigger argument now because of the OU-UF game. And I think the Cotton bowl will get some extra attention because a lot of people will see it as an earlier test of the argument in advance of the NC game.

I'm a homer, but right now I like our chances against anyone. Yes, their offense is a bad match up against our defense, but the good news is that we also get to play offense, and our offense has been clicking lately. I like our chances to put up 40+ in this game, especially if TTU plays up tempo like they usually do. And also, I like our chances because I think we can put some pressure on the QB with our front 4, something TTU hasn't seen a whole lot this year.

We'll see, but I really don't think it'll be a blow out either way. Plus, as OP4 was saying, we're more excited about this game than they are, and that usually plays a factor in bowl games. About a month ago, Texas Tech was thinking Big 12 and national title. Around that same time, we were just thinking, let's get to a bowl game period, even if it was the Pizza Bowl. Now, we've gotten a much better bowl than the team expected, while TTU has gotten a lower bowl than they wanted.

 

[Anti Dawg.nafoom]

I'd say Oklahoma's and Texas's defense are better by a good margin.

 

[Fogell]

I venture to say we were the best defense State faced this year.

 

[Anti Dawg.nafoom]

But what's that got to do with Mississippi-Texas Tech?

 

[Optimus Prime 4]

[No message]

 

[WinstonChurchill]

I don't think you can argue statistically Ole Miss's defense is better than a Texas or Oklahoma because Ole Miss didn't have to play the number high powered offenses (such as Texas Tech, Oklahoma, and Texas) that a Big 12 South defense had to play this year.

 

[ole miss drunk]

I don't think you can argue statistically Ole Miss's defense is better than a Texas or Oklahoma because Ole Miss didn't have to play the number high powered offenses (such as Texas Tech, Oklahoma, and Texas) that a Big 12 South defense had to play this year.

Conversely you could argue that TT and OU are so highly ranked because they didn't have to play high powered SEC defenses all year. Just sayin...

deviladvocatku

 

[DieHardDawg]

TT 84 Ole Miss 3

This will make up for us not going to a bowl and then some. I might go and wear red and black.

 

[bootydawg]

Something like 68-14, what does that say about our defense? Im concerned with our team and really dont care what happens in the cotton bowl.

 

[Stansfield]

Georgia should have gotten TTU and Ole Miss should have gotten Michigan St.

 

[patdog]

They got a bowl in sunny, warm, close Orlando instead of a bowl in cold, usually overcast, distant Dallas. Just talked to a Rebel friend of mine an hour or so ago. He was disappointed they got the Cotton Bowl instead of the Capital One Bowl.

 

[Optimus Prime 4]

so by definition they were not screwed

 

[MadRebel10]

Stansfield=retard

 

[Anti Dawg.nafoom]

I'd feel pretty confident saying that Texas and Oklahoma have better defenses than Mississippi. Better players, better coaches. Not to mention the whole Big 12 offense vs. SEC defense thing.

 

[patdog]

Tim Tebow put it pretty well when the CBS crew was talking to him about the Heisman and who he would vote for (he has a vote since he won it last year). He praised the Big 12 QBs, but then he said that he'd sure love to get to go against those Big 12 defenses they got to face. The truth is somewhere in between. Mississippi will have at least as good a defensive line as Texas Tech has ever seen. Their backs may not be as good as the top Big 12 units though. That might not matter though, because if Harrell gets as much pressure as I think he's going to get, he's going to be running for his life.

 

[Anti Dawg.nafoom]

I was really hoping for an Alabama-Texas matchup as well. But as for right now, since they haven't played, you can't really just say "Yeah well the SEC defenses are better than Big 12" or that the Big 12 offenses are better than the SEC. It appears that way, but you can't say with certainty. Like you said, the truth is probably somewhere in the middle.

Either way, it's one of the more intriguing bowls this year. I really think the BCS screwed up every game except the Championship and the Rose Bowl. But then again the ch'ip is the only game it's meant to get right.

 

[Coach33.sixpack]

I dont think their defense (which is pretty damn good) will be able to hold an offense with such a deep threat. The DB's for Ole Miss just are not good enough.

With that said..... SEC numbers this year show that we have slowed down many offenses like this all season. With the exception of Miss State and Arkansas.

 

[Coach33.sixpack]

They got a bowl in sunny, warm, close Orlando instead of a bowl in cold, usually overcast, distant Dallas. Just talked to a Rebel friend of mine an hour or so ago. He was disappointed they got the Cotton Bowl instead of the Capital One Bowl.

Orlando is closer than Dallas? Do you live in Florida? Google Earth that my friend and tell me what you get.

 

[patdog]

The post I was responding to said that Georgia got screwed. From Athens, its 456 miles to Orlando and 857 miles to Dallas.

 

[Optimus Prime 4]

there is simply no way you can say they got screwed.

 

[Stansfield]

??

 

[patdog]

the SEC overall is better defensively than the Big 12. The only question is how much better is the Big 12 offensively and how much better is the SEC defensively. As for the rest of the BCS bowls being "screwed up" they're intended to preserve the traditional conference champion tie-ins, so that's why you get Texas to the Fiesta and Bama to the Sugar.

 

[RipleyReb.sixpack]

of course looking at your username I'm not sure who you root for, but I'm pretty sure it's not OM. Do you think Oklahoma's front 4 on defense is better than OM's? It's going to come down to putting pressure on TT's QB, which I think we can. Also, if you flip flop the discussion, what makes anyone think TT can stop OM's offense?

 

[bulldogbaja]

Capital One is much more prestigious