Thoughts about Playing Alabama

Almost certainly, Alabama is going to destroy Ole Miss when they tilt Saturday afternoon. Hope springs eternal, of course, but Alabama just owns Ole Miss, and it knows it. Of the 66 games the two universities have played, Alabama has won 54 of them, and their current win streak against the Rebels is seven, but that’s not even the worst streak. That number is 12. Alabama just expects to beat Ole Miss. To them, it’s just a given.

This one is a measuring stick game, as I’ve said, and Ole Miss always comes up wanting. Alabama is always going to be well-coached. It is always going to have the best players. It is always going to have excellent fundamentals. It is always going to have top-tier conditioning. Always. This year, on paper at least, Ole Miss looks more competitive than in years past in terms of calibre of player, but it still isn’t on par. On a player to player basis, Alabama comes out ahead at pretty much every position EXCEPT at quarterback, and maybe at running back, assuming Quinshon Judkins is at full speed after being gimpy last week.

There’s your screwball. The last time I remember Ole Miss coming in with the obviously better quaterback was back in 2001-2003 when the Rebels field general was none other than Eli Manning. Manning’s 2-1 career record against the Tide is one of the more impressive achievements of his career. He beat them in 2001 and 2003, both wins coming at home. At Tuscaloosa in 2002, the Rebels got smeared 42-7.

Jaxson Dart is no Eli Manning.

Let’s be optimistic for a minute and take a rose-tinted view. Let’s say Ole Miss not only goes to Tuscaloosa and defeats Alabama, but routes them in retribution for all the humiliating losses over the years. Let’s imagine that Dart goes in there like Superman and just slings the ball around and Quinshon Judkins racks up 150 yards rushing. The Rebels surprise the college football world with a 48-17 win. Next week, the Rebs take on LSU at home, which is always a dogfight, and aside from road games at Auburn and odious Georgia, the toughest of their opponents, the remaining SEC slate contains Arkansas and Texas A&M, which are home games, and a rudderless and Mike Leach-less Mississippi State team. The Bulldogs to this point have looked like garbage. All of those games are winnable. A break or two and Ole Miss is in the playoffs.

Circled on my calendar is that road game at Georgia as nothing would make me happier than seeing the Rebels kick the wet dog-shit out of the Bulldogs at Sanford Stadium on Nov. 11.

It all starts with a reversal of history and a win over Alabama at Tuscaloosa. Go do it, Ole Miss. Hotty Toddy!