UL Lafayette @ Mississippi preview
Vaught-Hemingway Stadium
After three consecutive losses — all to ranked SEC opponents — Mississippi could use a break.
The Rebels get it in the form of a homecoming matchup with Louisiana-Lafayette on Saturday.
Mississippi (3-5, 1-4 SEC) will look to keep up its solid offensive play behind a running game that ranks third in the SEC with 212 yards per game. The Rebels have three dangerous runners with the emergence of freshman Jeff Scott, who had a career-high 134 yards on nine carries last week, including an 83-yard touchdown run.
Scott has played his way into a time share with starter Brandon Bolden over the past three games. Bolden leads the team with 591 rushing yards and seven touchdowns. He's also among the team's leading receivers with 20 catches for 196 yards and two more scores, but Scott has earned nearly as many carries the past three games and gives the Rebels an explosive presence in the backfield. Bolden had only 33 yards on six carries last week, but he did score two rushing touchdowns.
Quarterback Jeremiah Masoli has also been a key part of the running game — he is one of five quarterbacks in the nation averaging at least 180 passing yards and 50 rushing yards per game.
After a prolific games against Arkansas — his 425 total yards were the second-most in school history — Masoli's productivity dropped off last week against Auburn. He threw for 189 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 29 yards.
Markeith Summers has been Masoli's big-play receiver, averaging 21.2 yards on his 20 receptions with five touchdowns.
Mississippi gave up a season-worst 572 yards of total offense in last week's 51-31 home loss to Auburn. But luckily for the Rebels, the Ragin' Cajuns don't boast the same offensive firepower as Cam Newton and the Tigers.
Louisiana-Lafayette (2-6, 2-3 Sun Belt) already lost running back Kevis Streeter to a season-ending knee injury early in the season and the Ragin' Cajuns could be without starting quarterback Chris Masson, who suffered a knee injury in last week's 38-31 loss at Ohio.
Backup Brad McGuire kept the Ragin' Cajuns in that one, throwing for 384 yards on 25 of 39 passing with two touchdowns and an interception, but the Bobcats scored three fourth-quarter touchdowns to rally for the win. McGuire's 384 passing yards rank fifth on the school's all-time list.
Masson, who has passed for 1,512 yards with nine touchdowns and five interceptions, is listed as doubtful for Saturday.
With McGuire at the helm for most of the game against Ohio, receiver Daryl Surgent and tight end Ladarius Green had big games. Surgent caught four passes for 110 yards and Green had six grabs for 107 yards.
With 25 catches for 437 yards and four touchdowns, Green leads four Louisiana-Lafayette receivers who have 19 catches or more this season despite missing two games because of an ankle injury.
Louisiana-Lafayette's running game has dropped off considerably since Streeter was lost for the season — while he averaged 7.7 yards per carry, new starter Aaron Spikes has averaged only 3.0 yards per carry — and it's no coincidence the Ragin' Cajuns have lost four straight with the ground game sputtering.
That should come as a relief for the Rebels, who gave up 343 yards on the ground against Auburn.
It will be the third meeting between the teams, with Mississippi winning the first two in 1986 and 1987.
Louisiana-Lafayette is 0-36 all-time against SEC teams.