College football gets fully underway this weekend with Week One. While there are plenty of key matchups, there are also a few that may fall under your radar. Ole Miss vs Furman likely fits into the latter. However, despite it not being one of the best games of the weekend, that doesn’t mean there aren’t a few important things to pay attention to this weekend in Oxford.
This is set to be only the second time these two schools have met on the gridiron. Most of us probably don’t remember the first meeting, as it took place a century ago. For those of you that do remember, props to you on a life well lived.
So the question becomes whether the Paladins can pull off the upset, or at least keep it close, or whether the Rebels can cruise to an easy victory in their opener.
What to Expect From Furman?
For the Paladins, the key is going to be on the defensive side of the ball. Last season, they managed to ride the defense to a 10-3, and a quarterfinal appearance in the FCS Playoffs. For the season, their defense ranked 11th in the FCS in points per game allowed, at just over 18 per contest.
This season, while the defense will look different, there’s plenty of returning talent on that side of the ball. Two of the names to keep an eye on are Luke Clark and Evan DiMaggio. Clark was the team’s sack leader last season. DiMaggio was the Paladins’ leader in tackles for loss. With that being said, it is also worth pointing out that they did lose two FCS All-Americans from last year’s team on that side of the ball. How they manage to replace those two is arguably the biggest question on defense coming into the opener for Furman.
On the offensive side, there are likely a few more questions. The Paladins enter this season having lost their starting quarterback from last year, Tyler Huff, as well as their leading rusher, Dominic Roberto. Currently, Huff’s replacement hasn’t been named. However, whoever wins the job will have big shoes to fill, as Huff led the Paladins to a 20-6 record over the past two seasons. The same goes for Roberto’s replacement, as he scored 11 touchdowns in his last two seasons in Greenville.
For Furman, having to open the year against what should be an improved Ole Miss defense, especially with a whole new backfield, is no easy task.
What to Expect From the Rebels?
On the Ole Miss side, things should be a bit more stable, at least on the offensive side. The Rebels return quarterback Jaxson Dart, who has plenty of preseason hype surrounding him. And while star running back Quinshon Judkins did transfer to Ohio State, they do return his backup in Ulysses Bentley IV. In two seasons in Oxford, despite being the backup, Bentley has averaged just over five yards per carry. Now, as the primary back, expecting similar numbers doesn’t seem farfetched.
Then, at the receiver position, Ole Miss has managed to stay stocked. The unit returns Tre Harris, Jordan Watkins, and Caden Prieskorn, though Prieskorn is technically a tight end. To go along with those returning, they also brought in Juice Wells from South Carolina, who’s expected to make a sizable impact this season.
So while the Rebels may have some questions this season, most of those shouldn’t come on the offensive side of the ball. Even against a solid Paladin defense, don’t expect too many hiccups from Dart and company in the opener.
A New Look Ole Miss Defense?
Far and away the most intriguing question from this weekend’s opener should be how the new-look Ole Miss defense performs. While it brings back a handful of guys from last season’s defense, the transfer haul that Lane Kiffin and Pete Golding brought in has been the main focus this offseason. At the linebacker position, pairing Arkansas transfer Chris “Pooh” Paul with sophomore Suntarine Perkins has many Rebel fans excited.
And then there’s the defensive line. J.J. Pegues and Jared Ivey both return from last year’s defense. However, the bigger focus will likely be on Walter Nolen and Princely Umanmielen. Umanmielen is in his first year in Oxford, after spending four seasons as a Florida Gator. His length and athleticism are two things to keep an eye on. For Nolen, he’s returning to his home state after two seasons at Texas A&M. The former top-rated prospect out of high school started his college career a bit slow before seeming to find his footing last season. Now, Ole Miss fans are hoping he keeps that momentum going this season.
Especially going up against what is going to be a new-look Paladin offense, seeing how these transfers fit together in the opener should be fun to watch.
The Bottom Line and Prediction
As far as FCS opponents go, the Furman Paladins are no pushover. They’re a team that has had a lot of success over the past two seasons, and they expect more of the same this year. But that likely won’t be the case on Saturday. While the Furman defense has had success at the FCS level, they haven’t seen anything like what they’re going to see from Ole Miss this weekend.
Now, it’s safe to expect to see some nerves early on from the Rebel offense. That’s even more true considering the lofty preseason expectations. But once they manage to calm things down, Dart, Bentley, and the wideouts are likely going to move the ball at will. Then, against an improved, aggressive Ole Miss defense, expect the new-look Paladin offense to have a hard time finding any success in getting the ball down the field.
Following a few shaky drives early on, Ole Miss finds their rhythm and cruises to a blowout victory in the opener.
Ole Miss 52, Furman 13
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