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SEC coach: Don’t be surprised if Ole Miss Rebels win SEC west

By Patrick Schmidt

Jul 17, 2014; Hoover, AL, USA; Mississippi Rebels head coach Hugh Freeze talks to the media during the SEC Football Media Days at the Wynfrey Hotel. Mandatory Credit: Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 17, 2014; Hoover, AL, USA; Mississippi Rebels head coach Hugh Freeze talks to the media during the SEC Football Media Days at the Wynfrey Hotel. Mandatory Credit: Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports /
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Last year saw two underdogs come out of nowhere to win the SEC east and west as Missouri and Auburn came off five and three-win seasons the year before to capture their division titles and finish among the top five teams in the nation.

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If you’re looking for a team this year to crash the party and upset the SEC heavyweights like Alabama and LSU, you may have to go to the state of Mississippi where the Mississippi State Bulldogs and Ole Miss Rebels are garnering a great deal of preseason praise.

In fact, one SEC coach spoke to Athlon Sports on the condition of anonymity that the combination of a veteran quarterback and a talented group of sophomores who were a part of the lauded 2013 recruiting class is enough to win the division.

"“I think Ole Miss is going to be dang good. Don’t be shocked if they win the division. I wouldn’t. It’s sort of wide open this year with Alabama possibly down and LSU losing playmakers – they’d have to knock off Auburn, which should still be great. Huge year for Hugh Freeze.”"

Rebel quarterback Bo Wallace is the conference’s most experienced quarterback and the super sophomores consisting of Robert Nkemdiche, Laremy Tunsil, Laquon Treadwell, Tony Conner and Evan Engram will need to have career years to make the dream of a division title a reality.

However, if they can take advantage of a perceived down Alabama and pull off the win in front of a frenzied home crowd at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium they will have confidence heading into the back half of the schedule, so look out for Freeze and the Rebels.

Auburn will be a challenge as the Tigers look poised for another run at the SEC and you can never discount LSU despite Ole Miss having recent success against them and of course the Egg Bowl against State will be a stiff challenge, but if you’re looking for a dark horse to come out of the SEC, look no further than the team in Oxford.

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