Retour
Coming off a humiliating 42-7 loss to the Georgia Bulldogs, Ole Miss is looking to regain momentum with a win this Saturday over the Oklahoma Sooners.
The Rebels have to win out to have any shot at earning a berth in the College Football Playoff. Oklahoma's chances are already gone, and the team's just looking to make the most of a disappointing season.
There are plenty of on-field matchups that will decide who gets the victory on Saturday. Here are three.
Oklahoma wide receiver Isaiah Sategna III leads the Sooners in receptions and receiving yards and is tied for most receiving touchdowns with 49 receptions for 625 yards and four touchdowns. The only comparable pass catcher is tight end Rocky Beers with 38 receptions for 518 yards and four touchdowns. The next leading wide receiver is Trell Harris, who has caught 15 passes for 165 yards and one touchdown.
Sategna primarily lines up in the slot, meaning he'll be guarded by Ole Miss defensive back Nick Cull, who has been the Rebels' primary nickel corner since Edwin Joseph Jr. went down with injury against Vanderbilt.
Cull has two interceptions this season against Charlotte and Vanderbilt, and has fit seamlessly as Joseph's replacement. However, Sategna may be his biggest challenge yet.
Oklahoma interior defensive lineman David Stone is one of the Sooners' best players. Stone leads all Oklahoma defensive linemen with 33 tackles; he also has two sacks. He is also expected to be a first-round draft pick in the upcoming 2027 NFL Draft.
He'll be lined up on Saturday across from Ole Miss offensive guards Delano Townsend and Troy Everett. Everett will be the one Oklahoma will want to target, as he'll be filling in for right guard Patrick Kutas, who is missing Saturday's game due to an injury he suffered against Georgia.
An inexperienced right guard against a first-round draft pick caliber defensive lineman could mean trouble for the Rebels.
Usually, Rebels wide receiver Deuce Alexander would be in this spot since he leads the team in receptions and receiving yards. However, the man who is tied with him for leading the team in receiving touchdowns, wide receiver Horatio Fields, has looked like Ole Miss' main target in recent weeks.
In the past four games, Fields has caught 19 passes for 263 yards and four touchdowns. Although he didn't catch a touchdown last Saturday against Georgia, he was the only receiver with real production, with 96 receiving yards, while the next-leading receiver had 23.
He'll likely be matched up against Courtland Guillory, who is the Sooners' main boundary corner. Guillory has caught an interception in two of Oklahoma's last five games and has emerged as a crucial piece of Oklahoma's pass defense.
Fields will have a tough task ahead of him to continue his breakout.