FiveDimes recently released over/under regular season win totals for college football teams.
Here is an early season look at the Mississippi Rebels in the SEC.
Over/under
FiveDimes has Ole Miss at 8.5 regular season wins. Last year, the Rebels went 9-3 in the regular season. The line features a better return with the over at -110, while the under is -130.
The upside
This defense is going to be nasty.
Many college football teams are experiencing a youth movement (or at least inexperience) on the defensive side of the ball, but Mississippi’s strength will be on defense.
Robert Nkemdiche will anchor the defensive line, while Trae Elston will lead a talented group of defensive backs. The defense was the calling card last year during the Rebels’ run to the Peach Bowl. Expect much of the same this year, but occasionally the offense may show glimpses of excitement.
Laquon Treadwell is a legitimate NFL wide receiver and all five starters return to the offensive line, including pro prospect Laremy Tunsil. The only issue that Ole Miss has, which also was the case last year, is that the quarterback position doesn’t invoke memories of the Manning family.
Chad Kelly will likely be the starting quarterback, and although he’s new to the position, he was the No. 1 junior college quarterback.
The downside
That was a stinging loss to TCU in the bowl game last year, with the Rebels on the wrong side of a 42-3 whooping.
That can either damage a team’s momentum or make a team more focused. The Rebels led the nation in scoring defense last year, so it remains to be seen if that dismal effort in the bowl game will carry over to the 2015 season.
The offense also will have to pick it up if Mississippi fans believe this year is their year. The offense sputtered often last season, and the Rebels still won nine games in the SEC. And the schedule won’t get much easier this season.
Road games will be the biggest tests this year for Ole Miss. The Rebels must travel to Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Memphis (sure, it’s not a big-time program, but the Tigers should be much improved and Mississippi must make this trip in the heart of the conference season), and Mississippi State.
The Rebels will likely be favorites in only two of those five games, meaning Mississippi doesn’t have much room for error if it will achieve the over. The home schedule is easier, with contests against UT Martin, Fresno State, Vanderbilt and New Mexico State. However, the Rebels also will host Texas A&M, Arkansas and LSU. Those aren’t teams that should be favored against the Rebels in Mississippi, but those aren’t walk-throughs either.
The verdict
The offense will need plenty of work to achieve nine wins. But that defense will be one of the best units in the nation.
There’s plenty of talent all around for the Rebels, but that road schedule is just too tough to have any confidence in the Rebels. Mississippi may have snuck up on some teams last year. That won’t happen again and the vaunted SEC schedule will get the best of the Rebels this year.
Take the under and find out if Mississippi can improve again this year.
