True Maroon

Sounds good7

I break schedules down 3 ways: Should Win, Probably won't win, Tossups. You could break it up further because there are several in the "should win" category that are really "stone cold locks" and there are several in the "probably won't win" category that are really "no way in Hell".

I'll do the Rebel Bears first.

Should Win (2): Central Arkansas, at Tulane
Probably won't win (8): Texas, at Bama, Texas A&M, Auburn, at Arkansas, at Georgia, at LSU, Vanderbilt, MSU
Tossups (1): UTEP

UTEP lost a shootout to Houston 49-42, that Mike Price offense was stout all year. They narrowly missed a bowl. This is their big game. It comes in Game 2. Central Arkansas is D2 and NORMALLY teams don't lose those games. I don't see another J'ville State, but then again Cent Ark was 9-3 last year and currently rides an 8 game win streak. Tulane might be their easiest game, the Green Wave were 2-10 last year.

I know some Rebs can't "bear" to think of Vandy as a probable loss but given what each team returns I think the Dores are way ahead right now. Heck, if MSU was playing Vandy this fall, I'd have it as a tossup. They are no longer the conference scrub.

I think it's looking like a 3 win season in Oxford. Long year 1 for Bucky.

Ok, how about the DOGS?

Should win (6): Jackson State, at Troy, South Alabama, at Kentucky, Middle Tenn State, TSUN
Probably Won't Win (3): at Alabama, at LSU, Arkansas
Tossups (3): Auburn, Tennessee, Texas A&M

All of our tossup games are at home which is HUGE to this seasons success. This is the best schedule in Coach Mullen's 4 years. No more non-conf. powerhouses, all the tossup games at home. Last year our tossup games were at Auburn, at Georgia, and South Carolina. We went 0-3. We lost all 3 of the games we were supposed to (ALA, ARK, LSU), and then won all 6 of the games we were supposed to win. So, we went 6-6.

It's pretty simple when you break it down. We have to win all 6 of the games against teams we're obviously more talented than. You absolutely cannot afford to lose one of those because you then have to steal it back somewhere. With all 3 tossup games at home, at worst we should go 2-1 in those games.

I was tempted to put Arkansas in that "toss up" category given Petrino's gone. But, with Tyler Wilson back, Knile Davis back healthy, and our history against the Hogs, I just couldn't do it.

So, I'll go with an 8-4 regular season. As everyone has said, Game 2 against Auburn is CRITICAL. Dyer is gone, Mahlzahn isn't calling plays anymore, it's payback time for Chicklit!

Ole Miss 2-10 worst case, 5-7 best case
MSU 7-5 worst case, 10-2 best case