First look: Top story lines, betting odds for South Carolina vs Ole Miss game
Coming off back-to-back blowout losses, the South Carolina football team is on the road to face Lane Kiffin and the Ole Miss Rebels.
South Carolina (2-4) at Ole Miss (2-4)
When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday
Where: Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, Miss.
TV: SEC Network
Line: Ole Miss by 10
This week’s SEC betting odds, TV times
College football point spreads, according to VegasInsider.com. All other SEC games this week were postponed because of COVID-19 issues.
- Noon: Vanderbilt at Kentucky (-17), SEC Network
- 7 pm: Arkansas at Florida (-17.5), ESPN
- 7:30 pm: South Carolina at Ole Miss (-11), SEC Network
Three story lines for Gamecocks vs. Rebels
1. The Gamecocks are coming off two of the worst performances of the Will Muschamp era against LSU and Texas A&M. The fan base has been critical of Muschamp and the team’s performance. The challenge for the coaching staff and players will be to stay focused and try to put the last two games behind them. And the Gamecocks could have a new quarterback starter in Oxford after Collin Hill’s recent struggles.
2. Lane Kiffin is back in the SEC as a head coach for the first time since he spent the 2009 season at Tennessee. After one year with the Vols, he spent time the Oakland Raiders, Southern Cal and Florida Atlantic, and was an assistant with Alabama. Kiffin is 1-0 against he Gamecocks, with a 31-13 win in 2009. He is probably best known to USC fans for the comments he reportedly made when he was recruiting Alshon Jeffery. Jeffery said Kiffin told him he would be pumping gas for rest of his life if he went to South Carolina.
3. South Carolina’s secondary was missing RJ Roderick and Shilo Sanders on Saturday against Texas A&M but will need to be at full strength to handle Ole Miss’ passing attack. The Gamecocks’ pass defense is allowing 250.8 yards per game, which ranks 81st nationally. Ole Miss is 16th in the country in passing yards per game at 325.3.
Three Ole Miss football players to watch
1. QB Matt Corral — He’s coming off one of the best games in school history two weeks ago against Vanderbilt when he completed 31-of-34 passes for 412 yards and six touchdowns. Corral completed a school-record 19 straight passes, breaking Eli Manning’s mark. The sophomore is second in the SEC in passing yards (1,846), completion percentage (71.6) and TD passes (18).
2. WR Elijah Moore — He leads the SEC with 61 catches for 829 yards and six touchdowns. Moore’s NFL Draft stock continues to rise, and ESPN expert Mel Kiper declared him a day two pick after an early-season performance against Florida.
3. LB Sam Williams — Senior linebacker was reinstated in September after sexual battery charges were dropped. Williams has 28 tackles and leads the team with six tackles for loss and three sacks.
This story was originally published November 9, 2020 at 5:00 AM.
