Kewan Lacy, Ole Miss’s dynamic running back, is officially questionable after missing their last game against Florida, and if he’s out for the Vanderbilt clash, that’s a massive blow that changes everything for the Rebels. This week’s predictions for the Vanderbilt game are already looking dicey, and that Lacy news just cranks up the tension.
Weather Report: Sloppy Game Ahead?
Get ready for some truly messy football, folks. The Weather Channel is predicting about a quarter-inch of rain during the game, with winds ripping around 15 MPH and gusts pushing into the 20s. Accuweather is a little lighter on the wind, thinking 9 MPH with gusts only hitting about 15, but everyone agrees on the rain. So, who does a sloppy game help? Wet turf fields usually favor the better athletes, which is a bit different from natural fields where mud can sometimes even out speed advantages. If Berlowitz is under center again for Vanderbilt, they might be more comfortable leaning into read option runs in that ugly weather. This could turn into a real grind-it-out slugfest, exactly the kind of game where anything can happen.
Ole Miss’s Form: Are They For Real?
Let’s be real, Ole Miss’s recent 41-38 win against the Cardinals looks a lot less impressive now. Why? Because those same Cardinals have since lost to Wake Forest at home AND NC State on the road. Ouch. The Rebels then rode a big emotional wave with a win over LSU, but then got absolutely slammed 52-28 by Florida, giving up a staggering 302 yards rushing. That’s not a typo, three hundred two. It makes you wonder if they were ever really as strong as they seemed a couple weeks ago. On offense, Trinidad Chambliss throwing to Deuce Alexander definitely scares you, but if Kewan Lacy, their dynamic RB, is out after not playing against Florida, that’s a big, big hole in their attack. Vanderbilt could feast on that.
Vanderbilt’s Hope & Upset Alert
Here’s where Vanderbilt might see a glimmer of hope. If Jared Curtis is back, that’s huge. He’s shown enough elusiveness and athleticism to be a legitimate ball carrier and creator. He can make those deep sideline throws that really open up a game. Head Coach Beck has got to be figuring out how to use his players better, especially with a game plan that looks more like what they ran against Georgia. We might see some tweaks with Curtis, but the blueprint is there. And speaking of upsets, this weekend’s SEC picks are wild: Ugga at +1.5 over Ramajama is the unanimous agreement for the biggest shocker. Plus, keep an eye on Missouri. After breaking a 9-game losing streak to ranked opponents by unloading on Florida, Marcel Reed could finally show up big after some rough games against Kentucky and LSU. This feels like one of those weekends where the unexpected happens across the board.
The stakes for this Vanderbilt-Ole Miss game just got a whole lot higher with all the weather and injury questions swirling. Can Vanderbilt pull off the shocker on a sloppy field and expose the Rebels? And speaking of big games, the Iowa Hawkeyes took down the Washington Huskies 41-24 in a final showdown that delivered some serious drama itself.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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