The Big 3 Report by Jason “Gator” Pigott
(Gator's Take Season Record: 6-4)
It was “just another day at the office” for Southern Miss on Saturday. The Eagle defense controlled
the Green Wave offense from the opening gun and the offense rushed for over 300 yards in cruising
to a 32-14 win. A late touchdown by the Green Wave added a measure of respectability to the final
score, but the game was never really close. Credit should be given to the Golden Eagle faithful for
turning out in this one. Of the 27,211 fans in attendance, about 20,000 were wearing black and gold
and chanting “GO Ea–gles!”
This week, the Eagles will go on the road for the 3 rd consecutive time (even though the Tulane game
was basically like playing at M.M Roberts) and take on a tougher opponent, the South Florida Bulls.
The Bulls upset TCU on the road last week in double overtime 45-44. The win ended TCU's 15-game
home winning streak and gives the Bulls a heavy dose of confidence entering the game against
Southern Miss.
Gator's Take: South Florida is sky high after the win over TCU, but a wise man once said, “what goes
up, must come down…”, or was that the lyrics to a Bob Seger song? Anyway, college year's flashback
aside, TCU gift-wrapped the win last week by botching an extra point attempt in overtime. I'd even
venture to say that on a dry field, the PRCC Wildcats could post 40+ on the Horned Frog defense.
With Houston on the schedule next, the Eagles will not be looking past this game. The Bulls will not
enter the end zone against a focused Eagle defense until the outcome of this one is no longer in doubt.
EAGLES 31 Bulls 13
The Rebels took the long trip out west to face the Wyoming Cowboys on Saturday…I'll bet the trip
back was much longer. Ole Miss turned the ball over a Bulldog-like 5 times and in turn lost the game
37-32. QB Ethan Flatt was intercepted four times and fumbled once for good measure in the loss.
I could almost hear my buddy Ryan Mitchell from Laurel, MS screaming, “put Robert Lane in the game!!!”
I'm not sure if the red-shirt freshman QB from Monroe, LA would have made a difference last week, but if
things don't turn around soon for the Rebels, he just might get his chance. Ole Miss did pile up well over
500 yards of offense against the Cowboys, but just couldn't get the ball in the end zone enough. Kicker Josh
Nichols is the team's MVP at this point but it's tough to swap 3's for 7's and stay competitive each week.
It's homecoming in Oxford on Saturday. Representing the annual “cupcake” in the festivities is Arkansas
State. The Indians (1-3) got their first win of the season over La-Monroe 28-21 last week. Currently, they
are being outscored by a margin of 21 points per game and have virtually no chance at competing against
an SEC school. In addition, the Rebels are 61-13-2 since 1924 in homecoming games and have won their
last seven.
Gator's Take : After last weak's (I didn't misspell it) effort, I have no reason to believe the Rebels will
win a game after Saturday until maybe late November. Savor this victory Rebel Nation, because a
“murderer's row” of an SEC schedule awaits.
REBELS 42 Indians 21
As expected by anyone with a pulse, an angry bunch of LSU Tigers handily defeated the Bulldogs 51-0 on
Saturday. Adding injury to the insulting margin of victory, starting QB Omarr Conner was lost for 3 to 4
weeks with a knee injury. Kyle York will get the call at QB while Conner is on the shelf.
Vanderbilt played well last week only to once again come up short to Navy 29-26. It is the second time in
as many weeks that the Commodores have fallen on the road by three points. (Lost at Ole Miss 26-23) Even
though they are winless, this Vandy team does not totally stink. The Commodores are led by a senior QB,
Jay Cutler, and the defense held Navy to only 71 yards rushing in the first half last week.
Gator's Take: Vandy will stack eight men in the box and force the Bulldogs to pass. If new QB, Kyle York
cannot move the offense with the forward pass, this game will be over early. The Bulldogs snapped a
9-game SEC losing streak last year by defeating the Commodores in Starkville. This year, Vandy will
return the favor.
COMMODORES 28 Bulldogs 10