No. 14 Ole Miss closes out the season against Duke with historic 10-win seasons on the line. The Rebels ended the year as the third team out of the College Football Playoff after dropping stunners against Kentucky and Florida. Still, the Rebels have a chance to win 10 games in consecutive seasons for the first time since 1960.
Duke managed to stay on track despite a coaching change under first-year coach Manny Diaz. The blue Devils posted a 9-3 season and went 6-1 in one-score games, including a 21-20 decision against North Carolina. Receivers Jordan Moore and Eli Pancol each posted 700 yards receiving to pace the team.
These two programs have some shared history with legendary coach David Cutcliffe, but the pair have never actually played on the field. There should be plenty of motivation on both sides to earn some respect.
Ole Miss vs. Duke: Need to know
Starring defensive front: The vast majority of contributors are expected to play for Ole Miss in the bowl game against Duke, giving the Rebels a chance to post consecutive 10-win seasons for the first time since 1960. Star defensive linemen Walter Nolen, JJ Pegues and Princely Umanmielen are all set to play after combining for 41 tackles for loss and 20.5 sacks this season. Nolen was named an All-American by numerous outlets. Duke has not faced a front like this.
QB carousel: Duke quarterback Maalik Murphy set a program record with 26 touchdown passes and led the Blue Devils to a 9-3 regular season record for the for time since 2014. However, he will not start in the Gator Bowl after the Blue Devils opted to pick up Tulane transfer Darian Mensah. Former Blue Devils QB Grayson Loftis also entered the portal, leaving only Henry Belin IV to take snaps in the bowl game. Belin has thrown only 33 career passes with three touchdowns and one interception.
Best on best: While Duke might not be able to score much without its starting quarterback, the Blue Devils boast one of the best passing defenses in the country. Duke ranks No. 6 in defensive dropback success rate and held opponents to only 6.0 yards per attempt and a 113.6 passer rating. To the contrary, Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart trailed only Cam Ward and Kyle McCord in virtually every QB stat. It’ll be a tough battle.
Where to watch Gator Bowl live
Date: Saturday, Jan. 2 | Time: 8 p.m. ET
Location: EverBank Stadium — Jacksonville, Florida
TV: ESPN | Live stream: Fubo (Try for free)
Gator Bowl prediction, picks
The Rebels are clearly one of the most talented teams in the country and have a ceiling as high as anyone in the postseason. It’s encouraging to see so many of their stars opted to stick around and play in the bowl game, which is a rarity these days. On the other side, Duke’s quarterback play could be a disaster after losing two key players to the portal. The motivation gap appears large. Pick: Ole Miss -15
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