By : Kameron Taylor
(AP Photo/Thomas Graning)
The Tulane Green Wave will be traveling to Vaught Hemingway Stadium in Mississippi to face off against the Ole Miss Rebels, in one of the marquee matchups in Week 3. Both teams are undefeated heading into the game. However, injuries could put the Rebs on upset alert.
Quarterback Situation at Ole Miss
Austin Simmons was limited all week in practice, so Trinidad Chambliss is expected to start for the second straight week. In the Rebel’s 41-35 win over Arkansas, Chambliss played exceptionally well, throwing for 353 yards and had three total touchdowns (two rushing and one passing). Simmons came off the bench and threw a touchdown, aggravating his ankle injury.
Tulane’s New QB Arrival
Tulane is labeled as one of the Group of 5 playoff contenders this year, with BYU transfer QB Jake Retzlaff leading the Green Wave this year. He has thrown 522 yards with two passing touchdowns and zero interceptions. Retzlaff also ranks first among QBs and is second overall in the county with six rushing touchdowns. His 288 rushing yards rank third among QBs in the country.
Playmakers to watch
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Jake Retzlaff (Tulane) is a dangerous threat to Ole Miss’s defense on the ground and through the air.
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Harrison Wallace III (Ole Miss) - Penn State transfer, and huge receiving option. Started the year with back-to-back 100 yards games. Ranks 4th nationally and 3rd in the SEC with 113 receiving yards per game. His ability on the field will help Chambliss through the air.
What's at stake
There is more pressure on the Rebels to win today. If Tulane loses it will be labeled as a hostile SEC away game, which will not harm their case as much for the CFP. If Ole Miss loses it will be a significant blow to their playoff hopes.
Keys to the Game
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Which QB can deliver more balance—both through the air and on the ground?
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Can Ole Miss contain Retzlaff’s scrambling ability?
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Will Harrison Wallace III continue his hot start and give Chambliss a reliable outlet?
Overall, this game is one of the better games in this Week 3 College Football slate. If Chambliss gets comfortable and hits all his targets and is able to extend the play with his legs, Ole Miss can win. However, if Retzlaff finds a way to get it done with his legs as well, while being accurate with his throws, Tulane could pull off the upset.