Ole Miss Hoping to Avoid Upset Against Tennessee

   When Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze looks at Tennessee, he feels he’s looking in the mirror.

"This team reminds me. Eerily similar to our journey. They are a very, very talented team. They are hungry. It’s a scary game because you know they have good enough athletes to beat you."

   And the scariest thing about the Vols right now is their defense.

Said Rebels quarterback Bo Wallace,"I’ve looked at the stats. They’re really good on third downs. You’re feeling good about yourself offensively. Then you look at that sheet, and you know you are going to have to bring it this week."

Said Freeze,"I always watch a big-play reel on Monday mornings, and their reel is very, very small compared to a lot. They don’t give up explosive plays."

   The Rebels defense is scary too. They lead the SEC in scoring defense, allowing under 12-points a game.

So what has been the key to that stinginess?

Said Freeze,"You would have to say that our corners. I don’t know that I remember a deep ball this year that we weren’t in position."

   Offensively, Rebels quarterback Bo Wallace is second in the SEC in passing.

Said Wallace,"I feel so much more relaxed going into games because I know if we punt, the defense is probably going to go out and make a stop."

Added Freeze,"I don’t think he has turned it over in an SEC game yet. That’s something you have to do to win in this league."

   Bo Wallace and Hugh Freeze have Tennessee ties.

Freeze coached at Briarcrest Christian in Memphis, while Wallace was the quarterback at Giles County.

Said Wallace,"It’s no secret I grew up loving the Vols. Had my orange on every saturday. It’s going to be fun getting to play them, but where we are at right now, it’s just the next team that we play."