College Football Preview

                  It’s that time of year again. College football is back in full swing, and the tension is starting to pick up around campus. While MC Law features students hailing from a variety of different universities, three schools stand out above the rest: Ole Miss, Mississippi State, and LSU. These three SEC schools boast the strongest fan bases on campus, and the rivalries run deep. To kickoff the season, we’ll preview what to expect from each team.

Ole Miss Projected Record: 10-2 (6-2 SEC)

                  After a school-record 11-win season, Ole Miss is back and ready for more. Fueled by enigmatic head coach, Lane Kiffin, the Rebels have their sights set on their first College Football Playoff berth. Heisman-hopeful Jaxson Dart is set to lead the Rebels high-octane offense to another exciting year. His receiving corps feature returning stars, Tre Harris and Caden Prieskorn, along with a few new faces from the transfer portal. Despite losing top running back Quinshon Judkins to Ohio State (good riddance), the Rebels’ ground game may improve this year, as they’ve solidified the offensive line and added four new backs in the portal to join the returning Ulysses Bentley IV.

                  Last year, putting up points was no problem for the Rebels, but stopping the other team from doing so was a bit more difficult. However, that may change this year, as Ole Miss has bolstered their defense with the new additions of Walter Nolen and Princely Umanmielen. Both players were highly sought after in the transfer portal and are sure to cause headaches for opposing offensive coordinators. “The Portal King” didn’t stop there, as Kiffin added a host of other transfers to join the Rebels defense including two 4-star prospects: linebacker Chris Paul Jr. and defensive back Trey Amos. This revamped Rebels defense is looking to make a name for themselves and prove to be a worthy counterpart to the electric offense in the team’s pursuit of a championship.

Mississippi State Projected Record: 4-8 (0-8 SEC)

                  After a mediocre 5-7 season, Mississippi State is looking for a fresh start with a new head coach, Jeff Lebby. Lebby is the former offensive coordinator of Oklahoma and Ole Miss, and he hopes to bring life to a Bulldogs offense that failed to reach expectations last year. After transitioning away from Mike Leach’s Air Raid offense, the team struggled and lost record-setting QB Will Rogers to the transfer portal. However, Bulldog fans are optimistic about what their new QB, Blake Shapen, can bring to the table. Unlike Rogers, Shapen is an elite scrambler and can provide a much-needed spark to the offense.  Shapen will be complemented by a fresh plethora of receivers such as Braylon Burnside, Mario Craver, and JJ Harrell, who are eager to showcase their skills.

                  On the defensive side of the field, there isn’t much to talk about. MSU’s defense struggled to make any real impact last season and lost eight of its starters as well. However, there is hope, as Lebby brought in Coleman Hutzler to take over the role of defensive coordinator. With years of SEC experience under his belt, Hutzler’s knowledge should help transform this defense into a formidable force. His efforts will be aided by a host of new players acquired in the transfer portal. Of these players, Mississippi native Stone Blanton headlines the group. At middle linebacker, Blanton will serve as the leader of this new-look defense. To avoid a repeat of last year, this Bulldog defense will be essential to the team’s hopes of reaching a bowl game.

LSU Projected Record: 9-5 (5-3 SEC)

                  After finishing the 2023 season with a record of 10-3, LSU, led by head coach Bryan Kelly, looks to improve and obtain a spot in the newly expanded 12-team playoff system. The Tigers are looking to reload on offense after losing the 2023 Heisman award winner and two first-round draft picks at WR, and it looks like they’ve done just that. Junior QB Garrett Nussmeier will run this offense behind a very experienced offensive line which is bookended with two junior tackles, Will Campbell and Emery Jones. Kyren Lacy and transfer WR CJ Daniels, who was recently named to the Preseason Biletnikoff watch list, will lead the Tigers’ receiving attack with a stable of other receivers to support them. While this offense may not be as explosive as the one seen in the 2023 season, the Tigers are looking to lean on the experience and grit of their offensive line to impose their will on opposing defenses. Fans should also be on the lookout for sophomore RB Kaleb Jackson to have a breakout year.

                  The Tigers look to drastically improve on the defensive side of the ball this year after being ranked 108th in total defense for the 2023 season. To do so, the team undertook an overhaul of the previous defensive regime and replaced it with former Missouri coach Blake Baker as the new defensive coordinator, legendary defensive line coach and LSU alum Bo Davis, as well as the return of Corey Raymond, better known as the father of DBU, as defensive back coach. This defense will be led by Junior linebacker Harold Perkins, Senior linebacker Greg Penn III, and Senior defensive tackle Jacobian Guillory. There are still questions that need to be answered when it comes to LSU’s defense, especially in the defensive backfield, and they will receive their first test in Week One against USC and Lincoln Riley.

Co-Authored by John Scott Milam (MS State) and Jonah Sharbono (LSU).

Projected Records provided by 247 Sports.