College Football Futures: The Ole Miss Rebels boast one of the hot young head coaches in Hugh Freeze who has quickly changed the expectations of this perennially mediocre program after taking over for Huston Nutt, who could not sustain his early success at ole Miss. Freeze has led Ole Miss to back-to-back bowl seasons and has hauled in the best recruiting classes to Ole Miss in recent memory. It all adds up to high expectations for the 2014 Rebels as a dark horse to win the SEC West. Ole Miss opened at 40/1 to win the BCS National Championship and was at 14/1 to win the Southeastern Conference championship. Ole Miss had an over under win total of 7.5.
If Ever This Was the Year…
The schedule sets up well for Ole Miss as they avoid the top four power teams of the East Division and have home games against West Division rivals Alabama, Auburn, and Mississippi State in the Egg Bowl rivalry showdown on Thanksgiving. Ole Miss has six starters back on offense led by senior QB Bo Wallace who is a Heisman Trophy candidate and has led an offense that has averaged better than 30 points per game the past two seasons. Defense is expected to be a strength for the Rebels as they return nine starters.
Handicapper’s Notes
The Ole Miss Rebels have covered the spread in seven out of their last ten games as a dog with seven out of those 10 games as a pup going under the total. Ole Miss has paid out against the spread in 10 out of their last 15 games as a favorite with eight out of their last 12 games as a chalk going over the total. Ole Miss has come away with the money against the spread in seven out of their last 11 away games with 10 out of their last 13 road games going under the total. The Rebels have covered the spread in 10 out of their last 15 home games with eight out of their last 11 home games going over the total.
Our Prognosis
Teams like the Rebels are at their best as a betting value when the expectations are low. We would urge caution on stepping out with Ole Miss as expectations, and perhaps prices, could be high.
