How Ole Miss Stacks Up

BYU Cougars (0-0)



The key to the Cougars’ late-season charge was coach Bronco Mendenhall handing the starting quarterback reins over the Jake Heaps after Riley Nelson got hurt. Heaps took the job by the throat and never looked back. During the 5-1 run, he threw 14 touchdown passes and was picked off only twice.



Considering how great their offensive line looks, led by Matt Reynolds, the Cougars believe they can be an offensive juggernaut and overcome a tough schedule that includes opening the year with trips to Mississippi and Texas.



Ole Miss Rebels (0-0)



Ole Miss flopped in the vicious SEC last season, winning just four games, but the Rebels believe the window is open for them to improve this season.



The offense is in reasonable shape. Ole Miss averaged more than 30 points per game last season and will once again feature a powerhouse rushing offense, which ranked 18th in the country with 208.1 yards per game last season. Brandon Bolden, who topped 1,300 total yards and tallied 17 total touchdowns in 2010, will run behind a massive line.



With Randall Mackey’s arrest and subsequent suspension for the Rebels’ opener, it appears West Virginia transfer Barry Brunetti will get the start under center for Ole Miss. He’s a dual-threat quarterback who will possibly duplicate the skills Jeremiah Masoli brought to the table last year.



The pick:



Note how I haven’t mentioned Mississippi’s defense yet? I didn’t want to put a damper on what should be a fun game. But the truth is that Ole Miss was quite bad last season, allowing 400-plus yards and 35-plus points per game. Whether they opt to use Heaps or running back J.J. Di Luigi as their primary weapon, I believe the Cougars can top 30 points on the weekend.



The Rebels have plenty to offer on offense but they face an above-average defense and we don’t fully know what to expect from Brunetti this early. Even though BYU opens on the road, I believe it can get the win. The Cougars are 4-0 ATS over their last four games as a favorite. Meanwhile, Ole Miss is just 2-6 ATS over its last eight home games.



Though eight of Mississippi’s last 10 non-conference games have gone over the total, its offense may start slowly this season, so I see the game falling UNDER the total.



BYU vs Mississippi prediction: BYU 30, Mississippi 21

You sort of glossed over, actually conveniently omitted, Heaps sucking wind from Florida State through Utah State including Nevada before he grabbed anybody or anything by the throat. But it did go much better after USU.



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Cougarbib2 wrote:
You sort of glossed over, actually conveniently omitted, Heaps sucking wind from Florida State through Utah State including Nevada before he grabbed anybody or anything by the throat. But it did go much better after USU.

Ha ha! That's funny. My assessment of BYU vs. Ole Miss is not a comprehensive history of every "jot & tittle" of both teams. It's my assessment of things that matter - IMHO.



Convenient omission? No. Not at all. Feel free to write your assessment. Be comprehensive and exacting. I would like to read it. This is simply my opinion - and I could be completely wrong. Anybody can be wrong. That's why they play the game.



Go Cougs! 8)

We saw what Heaps and Co could do last year once they started playing some bad pass defenses. Ole Miss ranked 109 in PER defense.

Cougarbib2 wrote:
You sort of glossed over, actually conveniently omitted, Heaps sucking wind from Florida State through Utah State including Nevada before he grabbed anybody or anything by the throat. But it did go much better after USU.



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Heaps didn't really have the ball the Nevada game, and FSU/USU our GENIOUS of an OC decided that everytime Heaps touched the ball he needed to throw it.



Our offense will be a lot more balanced this year.

Wow bib2, I thought the Jake heaps hate died last year.



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BYULV wrote:
Wow bib2, I thought the Jake heaps hate died last year.



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The Heaps hate will never die. Same for the "BYU fan" hate.

Ole Miss was a HUGE team physically. That O-line was monstrous. We will not play against an O line that big again, and that D line was huge. We went to the player walk and that is the biggest team I was seen in person. Their secondary play was good, but safeties were REALLY good. I do wish we had attacked the corners more, but I expect we will next week.