Scouting the Tide

(UMAA)

SERIES INFO: This meeting will be the 55th all-time between Ole Miss and Alabama dating back to 1894. The Crimson Tide holds a 43-9-2 advantage in the series, including a 44-8-2 lead on-the-field. Ole Miss received a win by forfeit for Alabama’s 19-14 victory in 1993. Alabama has won 17 of the last 20 on-the-field meetings and three straight. The Tide has escaped each of the last two meetings by three points including last year’s 26-23 overtime game in Tuscaloosa. Ole Miss has won two of the last three Oxford encounters with Alabama, although the Tide enjoys a 5-2 on-the-field edge at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR: The last two meetings between Ole Miss and Alabama have been decided on the final play in three-point wins for the Crimson Tide ... Ole Miss will be facing its first SEC Western Division foe of the year ... The Rebels are making their third TV appearance of the year and split the first two ... Ole Miss senior QB Seth Adams has thrown for 200 or more yards four times this year.

ALABAMA SCOUTING REPORT: The Crimson Tide snapped a two-game losing streak by defeating Houston 30-24 in Tuscaloosa on Saturday. Alabama opened the season with wins over Western Carolina, Vanderbilt and No. 16 Arkansas. Freshman running back Terry Grant leads the Tide ground game with 88.5 yards per game and five TDs and is a three-time SEC Freshman of the Week honoree. Sophomore back Glen Coffee has also rushed for 372 yards and three scores. Junior quarterback John Parker Wilson has completed 115 of his 213 attempts, good for 1,248 yards, eight TDs and four interceptions. Wilson’s top target is senior WR D.J. Hall, who is the Tide’s all-time leading receiver. He has 26 receptions for 439 yards and three TDs this season, while sophomore Mike McCoy boasts 20 grabs for 150 yards and one score. The Crimson Tide defense is led by freshman LB Rolando McClain with 42 total tackles, including 4.5 TFLs, while junior FS Rashad Johnson has recorded 31 stops with three interceptions. Senior DE Wallace Gilberry has team-highs of nine TFLs and nine QB hurries to go with 37 tackles. Sophomore K Leigh Tiffin has connected on 9-of-14 field goals and all 20 PATs.

Saban posted a 4-1 mark against Ole Miss during his time at LSU, and the average margin of victory was 5.8 points with an average of 2.3 points in the final three meetings.