Ole Miss vs. Alabama: 3 bold predictions, including final score and winner

Ole Miss can send an earthquake through the SEC if they can knock off Alabama on Saturday in their Week 5 matchup. 

The Alabama Crimson Tide and Ole Miss Rebels may not be as close in the college football rankings as other opponents will be or have been in the 2021 season. They are also programs in different states. But that doesn’t mean their Week 5 meeting at Bryant-Denny Stadium hasn’t been circled as one of the most exciting games of the year.

Nick Saban and Lane Kiffin have plenty of history together as the now-Rebels head coach worked alongside the Crimson Tide’s leader for several years. And that history will be at the forefront of this game as Kiffin attempts again to become the first former assistant to knock off Saban, who is 23-0 in such games.

Last season, these two programs provided an absolute thriller and you could argue that Ole Miss playing Alabama to a 63-48 shootout was a better effort against Crimson Tide last season than any other team provided, save for Florida in the SEC Championship Game. Now, the Rebels are more experienced, better equipped (though still lacking) on defense and Bama might be more vulnerable as well.

Can Kiffin became the “1” in 23-1? Will Saban and the Crimson Tide continue their dominance? We have bold predictions for Saturday in Tuscaloosa.

Bold prediction No. 3: Alabama, Ole Miss both hit 40 points again

Currently, the over/under total for this game is sitting at 79.5 points at WynnBet. These two teams obviously shattered that last season and, considering that the line has already moved up two points from where it opened, I expect to see that again on Saturday.

Alabama’s defense is supremely talented but, not only are they a tad injured right now and missing the likes of Will Anderson Jr., but the pace their offense often plays with puts them at a disadvantage and ultimately allows opposing teams to score well. And while the Ole Miss defense is clearly better than it was last season, the program is still working to build up that side of the ball.

On the flip side, we’re talking about two of the most explosive offenses in the country that have rarely been stopped over the last two years. And since we saw it last season, we’re going to see it again as the Crimson Tide and Rebels each hang at least 40 points on one another.

Bold prediction No. 2: Matt Corral, Bryce Young both throw for 350 yards, 4 TDs

Playing right into the previous bold prediction, neither Alabama nor Ole Miss is going to have the luxury of running the ball all that much. Running would actually be to the advantage of the Rebels as Jerrion Ealy has been much more effective than the Tide’s stable of back this season. But it’s all about two of the leading Heisman candidates, Matt Corral and Bryce Young.

Corral has been on an absolute tear to start this season and also going back to last year. He has 14 total touchdowns in three games already with 996 passing yards and over 150 rushing yards. He’s perfect in the Kiffin offense with his mobility combined with pinpoint accuracy. He can pick even Bama apart.

Meanwhile, Young has largely been as good as advertised. It will be interesting to see how he performs in a situation such as this given that he’s not been in a shootout but he’s displayed the clear talent with 1,124 yards and 15 touchdowns to only one pick on the season.

These quarterbacks will be trading haymakers on Saturday and each will end up not doing much to put a knock on their Heisman candidacy.

Bold prediction No. 1: Ole Miss upsets top-ranked Alabama, 51-45

The streak ends on Saturday.

Top-to-bottom of the roster, Alabama is better than Ole Miss. However, the Florida game continues to stick out. While the Crimson Tide got the narrow win and jumped out to a big lead, Dan Mullen adjusted and got his team into an offensive groove. Moreover, the Gators might’ve exposed Bill O’Brien and his ability to adjust in the process.

Kiffin, though much more on the whole, is an offensive genius. With even less talent than he has this season, he played Bama as close as any team last year. Now there’s a full offseason to get his stuff clicking on offense and an improved level of talent. He’s capable of adjusting, of putting his foot on the gas, and of not clamming up when the game is in the balance.

On top of that, I’m taking Corral over Young in this current moment simply based on experience. The outcome will be in question for almost the entire 60 minutes but, when it’s time for triple-zeroes, Ole Miss will leave the Tuscaloosa crowd tasting defeat for the first time in almost two years.

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