Tim Tebow: Oklahoma facing 'must-win' situation against Ole Miss on Saturday

Tim Tebow recognizes everything is on the line for Oklahoma against Ole Miss this weekend. Ahead of Saturday’s game in Norman, the former Heisman winner explained why it’s a must-win for the Sooners, even more so than for the Rebels.

“I think it’s a must-win for Oklahoma,” said, via The Paul Finebaum Show. “This is a team with a really good defense, a stud at quarterback. Their offense — they need him to continue to get healthy. They have a chance to be a really good team. But their schedule for the rest of this year is an absolute gauntlet. So, I think this is imperative for Oklahoma to get a win at home, an early kickoff. But this Ole Miss team is still really good.

“It’s dynamic offensively, but their defense has to be better, especially in big moments. This is a team that you look at, you could be a championship-type team, but only the teams that win championships — they know how to win in situational football, and they know how to win in the fourth quarter. That’s something that Ole Miss has to do, and they have to learn.”

As Tebow alluded to, this matchup has major implications within in the SEC. The Rebels’ defense will have to be better, as they notably gave up 17 points to Georgia in the fourth quarter of their 43-35 loss to the Bulldogs, and were outscored 12-7 in the second half against LSU.

The last time Ole Miss outscored an SEC opponent in the second half was during their 41-35 win over Arkansas during Week 3. They outscored the Razorbacks 10-7. 

Moreover, the Rebels tasted defeat for the first time last week, but they’re still a top-10 team in the AP Top 25 poll. Led by Division II transfer Trinidad Chambliss, who has taken the SEC by storm in his five games since taking over as a starter, it’s hard to bet against Ole Miss.

Meanwhile, the Sooners bounced back from their first loss of the season against Texas by defeating South Carolina 26-7 on the road during Week 8. Quarterback John Mateer threw for 150 yards and a touchdown during the win, but hasn’t been as explosive since returning from having surgery on his throwing hand. Running back Tory Blaylock added 101 yards and another touchdown on the ground as well.

Alas, kickoff between the Rebels and Sooners is set for Noon ET on Saturday, live on ABC. We’ll see who can get the job done, but the showdown between Oklahoma and Ole Miss certainly promises to be one of the best we’ll see this weekend, and Tebow will be watching close.

— On3’s Barkley Truax contributed to this article.