The Ole Miss Rebels are in deep trouble.
They have lost three football games in a row since the game against Arkansas, making them 1-5 in SEC play. The defense and injuries have been the real problem to this team. The defense hasn’t been able to stop anyone in 2018.
Injuries have also been an issue. Jordan Ta'amu has been dealing with an injured ankle but has been playing through it. In the first quarter against Texas A&M, running back Scottie Phillips was injured just before reaching the 1,000-yard rushing mark for the season. D.K. Metcalf was injured against Arkansas which was a big loss for the Rebels. Also injured this season was star CB and KR, Jaylen Jones. He had one Kickoff return for a touchdown in the first game and was later injured that game.
Ole Miss does have some stars coming up that could help them in the later stages. With Wide receivers Elijah Moore and Braylon Sanders, and the possible return of Metcalf. And Quarterback Matt Corral and possible transfer Kelly Bryant from Clemson.
Ole Miss needs to fix a lot of things before next season where the Rebels will be eligible for postseason play. Ole Miss plays Vanderbilt Saturday in Nashville, and I predict Ole Miss to pull it off and get a win against the Commodores.
The week after they will have the Egg Bowl in Oxford, which will be a very tough one for the Rebels. They better fix something soon if they want to have a chance in the big rivalry game.
IS KENTUCKY
GIVING UP?
Is the Kentucky football giving up nearing the end of this season. The Wildcats hopes and dreams for this season were ended by Georgia two Saturdays ago. They had a chance of going to the SEC Championship where a win could have put them in the College Football Playoff.
Running back Benny Snell, Jr. has really led this team to a breakout season. I never expected the Wildcats to do this well. It seemed as if in the Tennessee game that Kentucky was giving up nearing the season's end with SEC Championship and College Football Playoff out of reach.
The Wildcats lost the game 24-7 in a huge win for Tennessee. It seemed like many players were not playing their hardest.
Snell said after the game, “You put the guys in that want to play. You put the guys in that are going to not hurt the team, that are going to make us better."
Kentucky better get something going again, the best they can do at this point is maybe make it to a New Year's Six bowl game. Mark Stoops blamed both losses on himself, but was the Kentucky loss really his fault?
Cooper Sanders is a columnist for several weekly newspapers. He lives in Louisville and can be reached by email at starsportsboss.com
