This weekend’s Magnolia Bowl showdown between No. 9 Ole Miss and No. 13 LSU promises to be one of the season’s most intense clashes. Both teams enter with just one loss, eyeing a major boost to their playoff ambitions in the 113th meeting between these storied SEC rivals.
In a recent appearance on SportsCenter, LSU head coach Brian Kelly, with a nod to Nick Saban’s classic “rat poison” tactic, was full of cautious praise for Ole Miss’s quarterback, Jaxson Dart. “He’s a guy that wants the football in his hands when the game’s on the line, and you love that kind of attitude from your quarterback,” Kelly said, highlighting Dart’s resilience without revealing too much about LSU’s defensive plans. When asked if he had a message for Dart, Kelly kept it playful, joking, “Tell him we play Sunday at 4:00, and maybe he shows up a little bit late.”
This year, LSU has their own quarterback star in Garrett Nussmeier, who’s coming off an impressive 4-1 start and a dominant 42-10 win over South Alabama. Ole Miss, however, heads into the game with a 5-1 record and a defensive and passing game that ranks among the top in the FBS. With both teams pushing for an SEC title and playoff contention, this match has serious stakes.
While Ole Miss leads LSU in scoring, averaging 44 points per game, the game will also be a showcase of two elite quarterbacks: Jaxson Dart and Garrett Nussmeier. Dart’s season stats of 2,100 yards and 13 touchdowns reflect his skill and game-winning mentality, while Nussmeier, with 1,652 yards and 15 touchdowns, has proven himself as a formidable contender. As Kelly observed, “They have skill sets that allow them to run the offense that they’re directing.”
Currently, Ole Miss is the 3.5-point favorite to win, but with LSU’s determination to redeem last year’s 55-49 loss to the Rebels, Tiger Stadium is sure to witness an electric battle of grit, skill, and SEC pride.
