It’s official. Vaught-Hemingway Stadium will host the first matchup between two top-10 teams since a 2014 battle between Ole Miss and Auburn.
Pete Golding’s Rebels moved up to No. 8 in the latest Associated Press Top 25, as Lane Kiffin’s LSU team landed a spot ahead at No. 7 in the rankings, setting the stage for a dramatic contest between the bitter rivals in the former Ole Miss head coach’s debut against his former employer. And Rebel fans are hopeful this top-10 showdown is better than the last one, as a brutal injury to former Ole Miss wide receiver Laquon Treadwell, in large part, paved the way for an Auburn victory.
Ole Miss was elevated in the poll after a 41-9 win over Charlotte in Saturday’s home opener. The red and blue proved efficient offensively, with star quarterback Trinidad Chambliss completing 23 of 26 passes for 225 yards, while standout running back Kewan Lacy added 87 yards and a pair of scores in the blowout. Defensively, Golding’s group improved after a second-half meltdown in the week one win against Louisville, but still left much to be desired. While Charlotte was unable to find the end zone for a touchdown, the 49ers amassed 322 total yards and moved into Ole Miss territory frequently.
As for the upcoming matchup against LSU, Oxford will be at the epicenter of the college football world, with eyes glued to Lane Kiffin taking on his former team. Ticket prices are sky-high. Lodging is all but unattainable. And restaurants will be jam-packed ahead of the game. ESPN’s College GameDay will also be in town to preview the battle, and country superstar Ella Langley will be in town the Thursday before the contest to perform at the SJB Pavilion. Ole Miss and LSU will kick off from Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. CT.
There was a shakeup in the rankings this week, with Oregon and Oklahoma notably plummeting after suffering tough losses. The Ducks dropped 15 spots to No. 21 after falling to Oklahoma State in Stillwater, while the Sooners dropped 13 spots to No. 24 after losing at now-No. 19 Michigan. Texas moved up three spots after a thrilling comeback win over now-No. 6 Ohio State.
The full AP Top 25 can be found below:
- Texas
- Georgia
- Notre Dame
- Indiana
- Miami
- Ohio State
- LSU
- Ole Miss
- Texas A&M
- Alabama
- BYU
- USC
- Texas Tech
- Penn State
- Tennessee
- SMU
- Utah
- Iowa
- Michigan
- Missouri
- Oregon
- Houston
- Louisville
- Oklahoma
- Virginia
Mississippi State (2-0) didn’t land in the rankings, but earned 17 votes to be featured in the poll after a 38-13 win at Minnesota. Jeff Lebby’s Bulldogs will have a chance to become a ranked team this coming weekend with a road SEC opener at South Carolina (2-0). That game will kick off from Williams-Brice Stadium on Saturday at 3:15 p.m. CT.
As always, Ole Miss and Mississippi State games can be listened to on participating SuperTalk Mississippi stations.
