The race in the SEC West is getting serious and the winner of this game remains in the hunt. The loser, meanwhile, is all but eliminated from contention. Despite thinking the season ended after beating Alabama, Ole Miss controls its destiny in the division race. Win out, starting with Texas AM, and the Rebels will be playing in Atlanta on Dec. 5. Ole Miss is 1-3 ATS against SEC teams and has failed to cover in three of four games since the Bama win.
ODDS
Ole Miss opened as a 4-point favorite with the total at 66. Texas AM is playing its first true road game of the season and has lost four of its last six SEC road contests. The Rebels are 3-0 ATS since the Aggies joined the SEC. The line was bet to -5 while the total dipped to 64.5.
KEY MISMATCH
The offensive line problems should go away quickly for Ole Miss. The Rebels get back Laremy Tunsil, one of the nation’s top offensive tackles who missed the first half of the season due to an NCAA investigation, and now the team should have the right combination up front. Tunsil will slip back in at left tackle, Fahn Cooper will start on the right side, and the interior should be solid. Without Tunsil the Rebels managed to produce 43.6 points per game, the seventh-best average in the FBS, while racking up 521 yards of offense. Ole Miss totaled 480 yards in last week’s loss to Memphis, not a huge slip from its average, and the SEC-best passing attack amassed a season-high 440 yards. The ground game has been stagnant, but the return of Tunsil should help reignite it against a vulnerable Aggies team that was gashed for a season-worst 258 rushing yards by Alabama last week.
KEY STAT
43.6 – Ole Miss’ points per game. The Rebels haven’t been as productive lately, scoring just 28.3 per game, and that includes a 52-point game against New Mexico State. The Aggies surrendered a season-high 41 points to Alabama last week.
BETTING ANGLE
Just how good is Ole Miss? It’s hard to say based on their last three games that included a pair of losses. The Rebels were smoked in Gainesville, 38-10, by the Gators three weeks ago, and dropped a game to unranked Memphis last week. In between was a 52-3 thrashing of New Mexico State, so it’s hard to gauge where this team is headed. We do know that Ole Miss started the season 4-0, including the big upset at Alabama, taking the Rebels to the No. 3 ranking in the country. At 2-1 in SEC play, the Rebels sit in a tie for third place in the West Division with Texas AM. But Ole Miss actually controls its own destiny in the division race; win out, starting Saturday and through the home game with LSU on Nov. 21 and the Egg Bowl after that, and the Rebels will play in the SEC Championship game. Both teams are looking to bounce back from defeats last week, and it’s easier to do that when you’re at home. The smart pick in this spot sides with Ole Miss.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
An interesting matchup between the team that faceplants down the stretch and the one that lost to unranked Memphis. The Tigers are good and had all the motivation to knock off Ole Miss last week – and they did. And that leaves us wondering what the Rebels have now. Offensively they’re still a force and getting a top lineman in the game back will only make them better. There are questions on defense for the Rebels, however, with Robert Nkemdiche dealing with a concussion. The Aggies have to be thinking about last season when they lost three straight after a 5-0 start. The middle game of that losing streak was against Ole Miss. Another 5-0 start this season ended with a loss to Bama last week and the Rebels are on the schedule again. Only this time the game’s in Oxford. Even with their banged up D, expect the Rebels to ramp it up a notch and take down the Aggies, who cover in a close one.
Ole Miss 34, Texas AM 30
The college football lines for this contest were first released by BookMaker and the Rebels were positioned as 4-point favorites with a total of 66. Gamble on the game between every commercial break with BookMaker’s live betting feature. Along with an adjusted in-game moneyline, you can wager on what will happen on the next play or how many points will be scored in the next quarter. Live betting is the most exciting way to play!
Access live betting lines from your mobile device or tablet at BookMaker Sportsbook! You can wager on sporting events as they unfold on television with BookMaker’s live betting platform. Real-time spreads, totals, props and moneyline odds are all available by clicking here so start betting with BookMaker today! The Texas AM Aggies and Ole Miss Rebels square off on Saturday, October 24, 2015, at 7 p.m. ET at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. The game will be televised nationally on ESPN.
