OXFORD, Miss. – Ole Miss will try to put the disappointment of last week's beating behind when it hosts Kent State on Saturday. "It's not how many times you get knocked down, it's how many times you can get back up," Rebels coach Matt Luke told the media Monday. "(We need) the resilience to get up off the mat and go prepare."
TV: Noon ET, SEC Network. LINE: Ole Miss -28.5
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The Rebels will try to clean up miscommunications and execution problems that led to big Alabama plays in the 62-7 loss to the country's top-ranked team. That might be tough for a defense - ranked 126th out of 129 FBS teams in total defense - which has lost its second secondary starter to a knee injury. Junior Montrell Custis was injured against Alabama after junior Jaylon Jones was lost in the season opener. The Golden Flashes, winless this year against a pair of Big Ten foes, have never beaten a team from the SEC (0-13).
ABOUT KENT STATE (1-2)
The Golden Flashes' balanced offense is led by sophomore quarterback Woody Barrett (602 passing yards with four touchdowns and 117 rushing yards with two scores) while Justin Rankin and Jo-El Shaw (three TDs) have chipped in 326 yards on the ground combined. Mike Carrigan (team-high 13 catches for 117 yards) had a touchdown catch against Illinois and Penn State. Fifth-year linebacker Matt Bahr (27 tackles, two for loss) leads a Kent State defense that has recorded eight sacks and forced six turnovers - including four of each in a 54-14 win against Howard.
ABOUT OLE MISS (2-1)
Junior Scottie Phillips (355 rushing yards) is tied for the lead in the SEC with four rushing touchdowns and is ranked sixth nationally at 8.3 yards per carry. Senior quarterback Jordan Ta'amu has thrown for 917 yards and eight touchdowns - including three each to A.J. Brown and D.K. Metcalf - but was under a lot of pressure against Alabama. The Rebels have forced at least two turnovers in back-to-back games - including an interception and fumble recovery by senior safety C.J. Moore last week - for the first time since 2016.
EXTRA POINTS
1. The Rebels are ranked third in the country with six scoring drives of less than one minute.
2. Ole Miss is perfect in the red zone with four rushing touchdowns, one passing and four field goals in nine attempts.
3. Kent State WR Antwan Dixon (eight catches, 107 yards, TD) returned to the team after missing two seasons to battle aplastic anemia, a rare blood disorder that required a bone marrow transplant from his father.
PREDICTION: Ole Miss 57, Kent State 17