Ole Miss begins 10-day stretch to close out the regular season with 'a ton at stake'
The Georgia game happened, it was a loss for Ole Miss but only its second of the season. Both have occurred away from home in tough Southeastern Conference environments.
But the Rebels close out there home slate of the 2023 regular season in a place that has become a difficult environment for opposing teams. Since going 2-3 inside Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in the COVID-shortened 2020 season that was Lane Kiffin’s first in Oxford, Ole Miss is 18-2 at home.
A win over ULM on Saturday (11 a.m. CT / SEC Network) would give Ole Miss its second undefeated home season in the last three years. Losses to Alabama and Mississippi State in 2022 are the only blemishes in Oxford for Kiffin during this stretch.
This season has also seen record-setting attendance numbers for both the student section and the overall VHS stadium attendance. This weekend offers up another chance for the Ole Miss fans to provide this rejuvenated home-field advantage.
“A chance to have an undefeated home season is awesome. So, obviously, a lot of play for with that,” Kiffin said to begin his Monday press conference.
“I think we’ve had some tremendous crowds this year and energy that have impacted some of the games, conference games as we talked about with some false starts. That was really great to see. I’m very honest and realistic about things. I can’t say, always, that was the case during this run a year and two years ago. Really doesn’t matter what it used to be, it’s what it is now. So, hopefully we keep that up.”
This Saturday’s out-of-conference game for Ole Miss against a 2-8 team does not have the same flare of a LSU or Arkansas matchup.
Especially when the Rebels (8-1, 5-2 SEC) are favored by nearly 40 points.
But what this weekend does bring is the first of two games over a five-day period. Monday marks the first of a 10-day run that will determine if Kiffin is able to provide a second 10-win regular season for the program in the last two seasons. The first two seasons of that kind in program history.
“When you get knocked down do you get back up or do you stay down?” Kiffin said. “I thought guys were really good by the time we got out to the field (on Monday) and understood that there’s a ton at stake here.”
This close to a regular season is common place for Ole Miss as the annual Egg Bowl is traditionally played on Thanksgiving night, meaning both the Rebels and Mississippi State have short weeks.
Though last year Ole Miss was scheduled for a night game at Arkansas on Saturday prior, causing the short week to feel even shorter. This year is not the same case.
“I think it’s set up better this year,” Kiffin said. “The scheduling put us on the road in a tough conference game late at night. …I’m not making an excuse but that was obviously not ideal, especially when (Mississippi State) is playing an 11 a.m. non-conference game. We were very disappointed in that set up. So, glad this year’s much more equal from a set up standpoint when we’re playing and the type of team we’re playing.”
Mississippi State hosts Southern Mississippi on Saturday in a game that also has an 11 a.m. CT kickoff.
Kiffin is experiencing his third Thanksgiving night game in the Egg Bowl series and understands the challenges of the next 10 days.
In the transfer portal era, next week will be the first time for many to go through the short week.
Jordan Watkins will be playing his second Egg Bowl and learned what is important during last year’s short week.
“I think the biggest thing to take away from that is just be able to take care of your body,” Watkins said. “From having that quick of a turnaround going from playing a game on Saturday to playing a game on Thursday you got to make sure you take care of your body. Get in the training room and make sure that we’re fresh for that Thursday to go out there and play against a really good opponent.”
