Academy Award-winning writers couldn’t have scripted a better narrative than the one we’re set to enjoy on Saturday.
The eyes of the college football world will be fixed upon Oxford, Mississippi, as College GameDay sets up shop in The Grove for the first time in five years for a game between the LSU Tigers (2-0) and Ole Miss Rebels (2-0).
And while a top-10 matchup between undefeated teams is on tap, this showdown begins and ends with one man: Lane Kiffin.
Kiffin left the Rebels in the lurch last December, becoming the first coach to abandon his team during a College Football Playoff run.
He followed that up by poaching Ole Miss’ coaching staff and a handful of players, headlined by sack artist Princewill Umanmielen.
His dastardly behavior was served up without an ounce of remorse, making him the most hated man in the state of Mississippi.
And this is why the matchup between the Rebels and Tigers is being viewed as one of the most anticipated regular-season games in the 157-year history of the sport.
Let's dive into the LSU vs Ole Miss odds and my college football picks for LSU vs. Ole Miss in Week 3 below.
LSU vs Ole Miss Odds
| LSU Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-2.5 -120 | 58.5 -120o / -102u | -142 |
| Ole Miss Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+2.5 -102 | 58.5 -120o / -102u | +118 |
Ole Miss has the better quarterback, home-field advantage and karma on its side. What does LSU have to counter those three big checkmarks? Talent, and boatloads of it.
Kiffin has earned the reputation as the “Portal King,” and he has assembled the eighth-most talented roster in the sport by closing blue-chip recruits.
The aforementioned Umanmielen is an All-American talent, and he has been unblockable through two games, already racking up five sacks.
Jordan Seaton, who was the nation’s top left tackle in the portal, has allowed just two pressures and zero sacks in 82 dropbacks this season.
And then there’s the mercurial Sam Leavitt.
His athleticism is undeniable, and in Kiffin’s system, he’s a dynamic rushing threat. But for every “wow” play he’s put on film this year, Bayou Bengal fans have had to deal with his questionable decision-making in equal proportion.
Two red-zone interceptions last week against Louisiana Tech were offset by the impressive rushing night that saw him score three touchdowns. Such is the Sam Leavitt Experience™️.
Leavitt has a lot in common with Louisville’s Lincoln Kienholz. Ole Miss opened against Kienholz and Louisville, and the Rebels were unable to stop him from using his legs on designed runs and extending plays when the pocket broke down.
Kienholz finished with over 300 yards passing, 69 yards rushing and three total touchdowns.
The Rebels blitzed Kienholz on 40% of his dropbacks, and he carved them up. He connected on 66% of his pass attempts when blitzed, racking up 176 yards and a touchdown. I foresee similar success for Leavitt and this LSU offense.
When Ole Miss has the football, there’s one concern that could sink the Rebels at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium: a slow start.
With Kiffin and offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr. scripting plays last season, the Rebels and Trinidad Chambliss were formidable out of the starting blocks. Seven opening-series touchdowns in the 2025 regular season showed what Kiffin and Weis brought to the table.
This year has been a different story. Chambliss and company have scored once on four first-quarter drives before heating up later in the game. And now, the Rebels are facing off against a coaching staff that helped build Chambliss into a household name.
LSU vs Ole Miss Picks, Predictions
One final piece of data that's misleading is Ole Miss’ run defense. In the opener, it held Louisville to 4.2 yards per carry, but that included a 29-yard loss on a botched punt attempt. If you remove that play, Louisville ran for over five yards per carry.
LSU will find a way to run the football, which will set up quick-strike opportunities on play-action passes.
If you can look past the atmosphere, the presence of Chambliss on Ole Miss’ sideline and the public’s hatred of Kiffin, the right side in this Magnolia Bowl is LSU.
Pick: LSU -3
