Grove Bowl Recap

Oxford: On a cold spring day at Vaught Hemingway Stadium, Ole Miss concluded spring football with the annual Grove Bowl. The Rebels came into today looking to answer a lot of questions, with two main ones being how the defense would look this year and how the Rebels would replace Jordan Wilkins at running back. The question of who will replace Jordan Wilkins cleared up just a tad on Saturday with two guys sticking out the most with getting a majority of the reps Scott Phillips and Eric Swinney have been the main two for the entirety of the Spring season. Heading into the upcoming season, the bets are on a dual-threat running back system with Phillips and Swinney in the backfield which is a triple-headed monster for the Rebels on the offensive side of the ball led by a very talented receiving core the Rebels will put up points this season with the talent they have.

On the other side of the ball, the defense looked a lot better led by C.J. Moore. C.J. earned number 38 which is honored to the Ole Miss Rebel who best shows the qualities of the late Chucky Mullins. With this honor, C.J. will look to bring back the Landshark defense back into national dominance with the swarming tendencies of a shark. The key for this Landshark D all starts with the linebacker core who will look to improve off of last years dismal season. From the Grove Bowl the Defense looked more fierce and more capable of competing in the SEC, however, they might be one year off of being back to what they were a few years back where the Rebels knocked off Alabama in two straight seasons and won the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans.

Heading into next year under second-year head coach Matt Luke the Rebels will look to build off a successful end to the season including a very productive spring. The Rebels are likely to go 6-6, or 7-5 depending on the health status of this team. In a highly contested SEC West the Ole Miss faithful would love to see progress and go 7-5 with the schedule that favors the Rebels 7-5 is the more reasonable of the two for Ole Miss. One thing I look for the Rebels to establish this summer is an identity as one team Mississippi made one that represents the flagship to the highest of standards. Ole Miss will open the season in Houston where they will play a very talented Texas Tech Red Raider squad with a lot to prove, that game will be September 1st.

Ole Miss Football Schedule 2018:

9/1 Texas Tech ( Houston)

9/8 Southern Illinois ( Oxford)

9/15 Alabama ( Oxford)

9/22 Kent State ( Oxford)

9/29 @LSU ( Baton Rouge)

10/6 ULM ( Oxford) – Homecoming

10/13 @Arkansas ( Little Rock)

10/20 Auburn ( Oxford)

11/3 South Carolina ( Oxford)

11/10 @Texas A&M ( College Station)

11/17 @Vanderbilt ( Nashville)

11/22 Mississippi State ( Oxford) – Egg Bowl