This isn’t Hugh Freeze’s first time dealing with Mississippi since his scandal-plagued exit from the varsity. It is Lane Kiffin’s preliminary go to to Auburn since his reported candidacy for the job that in the end went to Freeze.
The two coaches meet with their applications in very completely different levels of rebuilding. Kiffin’s thirteenth-ranked Rebels (5-1, 2-1 Southeastern Conference) go to the struggling Tigers (3-3, 0-3) on Saturday evening in a stadium the place they’ve traditionally had hassle.
Freeze, who stepped down after main Ole Miss from 2012-16, confronted his previous crew two years in the past whereas at Liberty. That could assist with the emotional facet of this sport in a difficult first season.
“I’ve got a lot of friends there,” stated Freeze, whose Liberty crew misplaced 27-14 at No. 15 Ole Miss. “But the trip back there absolutely helps with this. Now this is not something that’s new.”
Ole Miss has gained two straight SEC West video games since a loss to No. 11 Alabama, remaining in competition for the division title. The Rebels haven’t gained back-to-back video games over Auburn since capping three straight victories in 1952, a sport performed in Memphis.
“We like breaking records,” stated Kiffin, whose crew broke a six-12 months shedding streak in the collection final season.
Incidentally, the Tigers broke the Ole Miss streak 70 years in the past in the primary assembly on the Plains, the place Auburn holds a commanding 17-3 edge in the collection
“I just think having played there here, having played there at Alabama, (Jordan-Hare Stadium) just sometimes has some kind of magical things happen in it,” Kiffin stated. “They’re always sold out. The fans seem to be into it from the beginning on, and they seem to play better there, especially at night.”
Case in level: Kiffin took over as Alabama’s offensive coordinator lower than six weeks after the Tigers’ well-known Kick-Six play in 2013 to beat the highest-ranked Crimson Tide on their method to the BCS nationwide championship sport.
OXFORD OUSTER
Freeze’s return to the SEC got here greater than 5 years after his Ole Miss tenure ended. A fast recap: He resigned in the summer season of 2017 after faculty officers uncovered a “pattern of personal misconduct” beginning with a name to a quantity utilized by an escort service from a college-issued cellphone. The program in the end landed on NCAA probation for 21 violations of educational, booster and recruiting misconduct, principally below Freeze’s watch.
On the sphere, he was profitable at Ole Miss, which went 39-24 and rose as excessive as No. 3 in the AP ballot.
QB TROUBLES
Auburn beginning quarterback Payton Thorne has handed for a complete of 228 yards with out a landing during the last three video games. Robby Ashford has gotten loads of enjoying time however has solely tried 22 passes all season, finishing 11.
Freeze has made it clear the issues transcend the quarterbacks. He expects each quarterbacks to proceed enjoying, regardless of the order.
“We consider everything and everybody. So that will continue to be in our thoughts,” Freeze stated.
TURNOVERS
Ole Miss is main the SEC and ranks eleventh nationally with a plus-6 turnover margin, whereas Auburn is third in the league (plus-3).
The Rebels are aided by the truth that quarterback Jaxson Dart has solely been intercepted twice. Auburn has compelled 11 turnovers, together with Jaylin Simpson’s 4 interceptions.
JUDKINS HOMECOMING
Ole Miss tailback Quinshon Judkins grew up about 45 minutes from Auburn in Pike Road, Alabama, simply outdoors Montgomery. He had an enormous sport final season towards the Tigers, working for 139 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries.
Judkins insists it’s simply one other sport.
(*13*) he stated. “That’s how i look at it. Prepare well just like I do every week, come out, practice and gameplan.”
LSU PROBLEMS
Auburn is coming off a 48-18 loss to LSU, getting outgained 563-293. Kiffin isn’t positive that’s an indictment of Auburn’s protection since his personal crew survived a 55-49 shootout towards LSU when the groups mixed for greater than 1,300 yards.
“LSU does that to everybody,” Kiffin stated.
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AP school soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll
(This story has not been edited by News18 employees and is revealed from a syndicated information company feed – Associated Press)
