The long-awaited Magnolia Bowl matchup pits the 7th-ranked LSU Tigers against the 8th-ranked Ole Miss Rebels, as Coach Lane Kiffin makes his highly anticipated return to Oxford with his new team and all the expectations that come with leading LSU. Since his questionable way of leaving Oxford with his team in the College Football Playoffs, Lane Kiffin has easily become the most hated man in Oxford, Mississippi, and this weekend will be the first chance the Ole Miss have to express their distaste for the former Rebels Head Coach, who essentially lied through his teeth to Rebel Nation before taking the LSU job and trying to take all of Oxford with him, trying to undermine Coach Pete Golding and the Ole Miss football program ahead of the College Football Playoffs. 

Beyond Lane Kiffin’s off-the-field antics, this rivalry dates back to pre-Southeastern Conference days, with the first game between the Tigers and Rebels in 1894. The two began playing for the Magnolia Trophy in 2008; since then, the Tigers have held the advantage 11-6. LSU also leads the series overall, 66-44-4. Saturday night will also be the 13th-ranked matchup between the two; it will be the first time they’ve been in the top 10 together since 1962. Ole Miss won last year’s game in Oxford and will be going for back-to-back wins over the Tigers on Saturday night at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. 

The mind games from Coach Lane Kiffin started early: the initial weekend Southeastern Conference injury report listed LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt as doubtful; then, as Thursday night rolled around, he upgraded him, and he likely will show as probable Friday night. Coach Kiffin pulled the same stunt as the Head Coach at Ole Miss when he once listed over twenty Ole Miss starters on the same injury report; again, nobody took the initial reports seriously, more so as another Coach Kiffin antic. 

Now on to the matchup itself, Ole Miss and LSU bring explosive offenses to the spotlight on Saturday night. As Trinidad Chambliss and Kewan Lacy look to overpower their former Head Coach while representing their school. On the other sideline, you’ll have a transfer quarterback from Arizona State playing in his first true Southeastern Conference road environment, his second career start at an SEC school in the state of Mississippi. His first experience with SEC road football was last season when his former school, the Arizona State Sun Devils, went into Starkville and lost to Mississippi State. That loss gave the Bulldogs the momentum to start last season 4-  and reach the postseason for the first time after a few-year drought. As for Saturday night itself, if Ole Miss can manage the emotions and stay true to who they are while letting the Rebel Nation provide the extra spark, it could be a long night for the Tigers. Trinidad Chambliss and Kewan Lacy will do what they do; it will come down to the other guys on the roster doing what they have to do to be successful. 

On the LSU sideline, the Tigers have racked up 1,172 yards; 716 of those have come through the air, and they’ve scored a combined 96 points in the first two games. LSU has been equally impressive on defense, with Princewell Umanmielen leading the nation in sacks with five and tackles for loss. As a defensive unit, LSU has held Clemson and La Tech to 25 combined scoreless drives in the first two games. LSU has Whit Weeks back at linebacker, who always seems to be around the ball no matter the play. 

These two teams are about as evenly matched as it comes, as both are likely contenders to reach the College Football Playoffs. That said, this game will likely come down to which team plays more disciplined and doesn’t let emotions run rampant. If both can keep their emotions in check, Saturday could come down to who has the ball last. Either way, Saturday could be a special night of college football inside Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.