Two programs on the rise will square off in the Outback Bowl. The Ole Miss Rebels will meet up with the Indiana Hoosiers in what could be a high-scoring showdown that will be fun for fans and online bettors alike.
The game will be held in Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla., on Saturday at 12:30 pm ET. ABC will televise the contest.
Betting Preview
The Rebels have a 4-5 record while also going 4-5 against the spread. Ole Miss’ schedule was made up completely of SEC games under first-year head coach Lane Kiffin.
One quick positive is that the Rebels rank 13th in the nation in scoring, averaging 40.7 points per game.
However, in its last game, for example, Ole Miss gave up the ball over six times in a 53-48 road defeat against LSU. On defense, the Rebels have allowed on average 40.3 points each game.
In that game, Ole Miss quarterback Matt Corral threw for 251 yards and three touchdowns. The issue here is that he was also responsible for five interceptions. On the season, he has 2,995 yards, 27 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions.
The Indiana Hoosiers have made college football news all season, stringing together an incredible campaign under fourth-year head coach Tom Allen. They are currently ranked 11th in the nation and won six out of their seven games this season, with the only loss to No. 3 Ohio State by a touchdown. They also have a 7-0 record against the spread.
Indiana’s offense has been great at 30.1 points per game and allowing only 19.4. But those stats were mostly when they had starting quarterback Michael Penix Jr.
Jack Tuttle is the current replacement for the injured Michael Penix Jr. He recently threw two touchdowns in his first career start and capped the day off with 130 yards passing.
The offense will be in question here, and judging only by their recent game against Wisconsin, it might not look good for the Hoosiers. They will need to rely heavily on their defense if Tuttle cannot get the offense going.
Odds For This Event
The sports betting market likes Indiana but not by a lot. BetUS Sportsbook has the spread currently listed at:
- Ole Miss: +8.5 (-110)
- Indiana: -8.5 (-110)
* odds are subject to change
Betting Prediction
Penix Jr. suffered a torn ACL during Indiana’s game against Maryland on Nov. 28. The Hoosiers have played one game since then, facing a 16th-ranked Wisconsin team and winning 14-6.
One main key here is that they have not had enough time to work with their replacement quarterback, Tuttle. The offense is arguably not the same here, as you can see in their recent matchup with Wisconsin.
In addition, Corral is a dual-threat to Indiana and has been explosive on offense even with a high number of interceptions. Other quarterback dual threats that have exposed the Hoosiers defense were Penn State’s Sean Clifford and Ohio State’s Justin Fields.
Though the Hoosiers barely beat Penn State and lost a close one to Ohio State, those games had noticeable matchups where the quarterback could run and throw well. Since they will be without Penix Jr. controlling the offense, the Hoosiers could find themselves in a hole in which experience would normally get out.
Ole Miss has somewhat improved on defense as the season went on, and its offense has shown signs of too many weapons. The Rebels have a chance to steal a win here, as they have been in close matchups in nearly all of their games.
Overall, look for Ole Miss to beat the college football odds and cover with a win. This high-scoring affair could be exactly what this team needs heading into next season for Kiffin to have a standout squad.
