No. 19 Ole Miss needs a win over Arkansas to keep its College Football Playoff chances alive

No. 19 Ole Miss (6-2, 2-2 SEC) at Arkansas (5-3, 3-2), Saturday, 11 a.m. ET (ESPN)

BetMGM College Football Odds: Ole Miss at 9 1/2

Series record: Arkansas leads 38-30-1.

What is at stake?

No. No. 19 Ole Miss must beat Arkansas to ensure next week’s game against No. 2 Georgia has enough national attention. A win over the Razorbacks this week also keeps the Rebels in the conversation for a spot in the College Football Playoffs. Arkansas can achieve bowl eligibility with a win. That’s a big problem for coach Sam Pittman, who was on the hot seat last year after finishing 4-8. First-year offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino has helped. The Razorbacks have gone from 100th in the FBS in total offense last season to seventh this year.

Key match

Arkansas tight end Luke Hasz vs. Ole Miss linebacker Chris Paul. Hasz caught four passes for 59 yards and two touchdowns last week. Paul, who transferred from Arkansas this offseason, may not be his immediate man-to-man matchup but should get assignments from time to time. He leads the Rebels in tackles with 60.

Players to watch

Ole Miss: Tre Harris missed last week’s game against Oklahoma with a leg injury and still leads the team in receptions with 59 catches, 987 yards and six touchdowns. Rebels coach Lane Kiffin called him “probably the best receiver in the country.” He is expected to be healthy for this game.

Arkansas: When Arkansas quarterback Taylen Green gets going, so do the Razorbacks. Only Vanderbilt’s Diego Pavia has more yards from the position in the SEC. However, he is prone to interceptions. He had a 1-to-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio before last week’s five-score performance against Mississippi State.

Facts & figures

Ole Miss and Arkansas have split their last fourteen meetings at seven wins apiece. Two of Ole Miss’ wins in the series have since been voided after the NCAA found several violations under then-coach Hugh Freeze. … Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart is currently on pace to set the school record for passing yards in a single season. … Paul was the Razorbacks’ second-leading tackler in 2023. … Ole Miss has won just once in Fayetteville since 2008, when former Arkansas head coach Houston Nutt coached the Rebels and Petrino led the program for Arkansas.

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