Analyzing the Ole Miss injury report ahead of South Carolina game

South Carolina will be on the road this weekend. The Gamecocks will take on the Ole Miss Rebels under the lights in a sold-out Vaught Hemingway Stadium. It will also be the fourth of five straight top 15 showdowns for the Gamecocks.

The two teams are heading in different directions after eight games. USC has lost five of six, while Ole Miss has just one loss and seems to be on the inside track to the College Football Playoff.

Heading into this weekend, neither team is at 100%. However, neither team is dealing with an abnormally large injury report.

As of Friday night, South Carolina has ruled out offensive lineman Cason Henry, wide receiver Jayden Sellers, and defensive back/special teamer Buddy Mack; Sellers and Mack were “doubtful” earlier in the week. Several other players are out with long-term injuries, but Henry, Sellers, and Mack are the only ones who have played prominent roles this season. On Friday night, EDGE Dylan Stewart made an appearance on the report with “questionable” written beside his name.

For Ole Miss, the list is even shorter.

Despite several players being on the SEC availability report early last week, they all were “available” by the time Saturday rolled around. This week, the Rebels listed cornerback Antonio Kite as “questionable” on Wednesday. He has carried that same designation through the week and into Friday night.

But what does Kite’s injury mean for Saturday’s matchup between the Gamecocks and the Rebels?

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Kite has been a starter for Ole Miss and is viewed as one of the top coverage men in the Southeastern Conference. He is PFF’s highest-rated Rebel defender and is the only corner in the rotation to give up fewer than 10 yards per reception this year.

If he is unable to play on Saturday or is limited, that will affect the Gamecocks’ passing game. Ole Miss hasn’t been great in the defensive backfield all year, and the unit has only intercepted two passes all season. Kite hasn’t had a pick, but he

The Ole Miss secondary has just one scholarship player listed at above 200 pounds. Frankly, they play like it in run support. The Rebels are 15th in the SEC in rushing yards allowed per game. Though Kite is not a big guy on the back end, he is a decent tackler who has only whiffed on two stops all year. Missing him could make things even worse for the third level of the D in that regard.

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Like every team, Ole Miss has some banged-up players not on the availability report. However, their absences from the report would indicate that they will be fully available on Saturday.

Kiffin said that tight end Dae’Quan Wright played through a “major injury” last week against Oklahoma. He is one of the top tight ends in the SEC but should be good-to-go this weekend.

Wide receiver Deuce Alexander, who has posted nearly identical receiving numbers to Wright, is also banged up. So is offensive lineman Terez Davis and four-star freshman safety Ladarian Clardy. All three should play on Saturday.

An ankle injury sidelined starting quarterback Austin Simmons early in the year. He is healthy now, but backup Trinidad Chambliss has been great for the Rebels and remains the starter.

Saturday night’s conference matchup will begin at 7:00 p.m. (Eastern). ESPN will carry the television broadcast, and the ESPN app will make the action available via streaming.

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