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

Updated Oct. 31, 2024 2:10 p.m. ET

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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 by 9 1/2

Series record: Arkansas leads 38-30-1.

What's at stake?

No. 19 Ole Miss needs to beat Arkansas to make sure next week’s game against No. 2 Georgia has plenty of national eyeballs on it. A win over the Razorbacks this week also keeps the Rebels in the conversation for a College Football Playoff spot. Arkansas can clinch bowl eligibility with a victory. That’s a big deal for coach Sam Pittman, who was on the hot seat after going 4-8 last year. First-year offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino has helped. The Razorbacks have jumped from 100th in FBS in total offense last season to No. 7 this year.

Key matchup

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 in the offseason, may not be his direct man-to-man matchup, but should draw occasional assignments. 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’s expected to be healthy for this game.

Arkansas: When Arkansas quarterback Taylen Green gets rolling, the Razorbacks do, too. Only Vanderbilt’s Diego Pavia has more yards from the position in the SEC. He is prone to interceptions, though. 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 14 meetings at seven wins apiece. Two of Ole Miss’ victories in the series have since been vacated after the NCAA found several violations under coach then-coach Hugh Freeze. ... Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart currently is 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 one time in Fayetteville since 2008, when former Arkansas head coach Houston Nutt was coaching the Rebels and Petrino was running the program for Arkansas.

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