The Ole Miss Rebels face the Oklahoma State Cowboys in the Sugar Bowl on New Year's Night. The Rebels finished the season with a 9-3 record and an impressive win over in-state rival Mississippi State in their regular season finale. The Cowboys were off to an amazing start in 2015, but they ended the season with two straight losses to Baylor and Oklahoma.
Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy will look for his team to bounce back against Ole Miss in the Sugar Bowl, but he has yet to state who will be under center for the Cowboys. Oklahoma State has two legitimate threats at quarterback in Mason Rudolph and J.W. Walsh, and Gundy is likely keeping his cards close to his chest to keep the Rebels guessing leading up to this highly anticipated matchup.
Rudolph is the top quarterback for the Cowboys but was unable to finish the season with a foot injury against Oklahoma. The Cowboys sophomore quarterback has thrown for 3,591 yards with 21 touchdowns to nine interceptions. While Walsh is considered the backup, he has proven himself on the field this year with 663 passing yards and 13 touchdowns to one interception.
Whoever starts at quarterback on Friday for the Cowboys, he will be sure to target star wide receiver James Washington. The Cowboys sophomore wide out leads the team with 52 receptions for 1,077 yards and has scored 10 touchdowns. Washington has proven he can get it done with either quarterback and still had a huge performance with 169 receiving yards and a touchdown in the regular season finale loss to Oklahoma.
While Oklahoma State has some dominant playmakers on offense, defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah sets the tone for the Cowboys defense. The junior defensive end has 16.5 tackles for a loss, 12.5 sacks, and is consistently in the opponent's backfield. Ogbah will likely see some time lined up across from talented offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil, and NFL scouts will be heavily watching this matchup, as both are expected to succeed at the next level.
The Cowboys defense will have a difficult task in front of them Friday, as the Hugh Freeze's offense averages 40.3 points per game 11th most in the nation. Junior quarterback Chad Kelly leads the Rebels offense, and the transfer quarterback has had a huge year for Ole Miss. Kelly has thrown for 3,740 yards with 27 touchdowns to 12 interceptions. Kelly is a dual threat behind center as he can take off at any moment, and he has rushed for 427 yards and scored 10 rushing touchdowns.
The Rebels offense has one of the most talented receivers in college football in Laquon Treadwell, and the Ole Miss star wide out leads the team in both receptions and receiving yards. The 6-foot-2, 210 pound wide receiver has 76 receptions for 1,082 yards and has caught eight touchdowns. Treadwell will look to be Kelly's top target on Friday and is one of the best receivers in college football at catching contested passes. Kelly and Treadwell will look to get the offense rolling quickly against Oklahoma State, and they are a big reason for why the Rebels' offense is one the best in the nation.
It's an interesting matchup between two great programs that are looking to end their season with a signature win in the Sugar Bowl.
Where to watch: ESPN at 8:30 p.m. Eastern time.
Ole Miss Radio Broadcast: click here.
Oklahoma State Radio Broadcast: click here.
