Article Written By: Justin Pollock
When: Dec. 30, 3:15 PM ET
Where: LP Field, NASHVILLE, TN
Watch: ESPN
Over/Under: 55.5 points
Spread: Ole Miss (-3)
| MISS | GT | |
|---|---|---|
| W-L | 7-5 | 7-5 |
| Avg Points | 30.4 | 36.6 |
| Avg Points Allowed | 24.3 | 22.7 |
| Home Record | 5-2 | 5-2 |
| Road Record | 2-3 | 2-3 |
| Division Record | 2-4 | 4-2 |
| Conference Record | 3-5 | 5-3 |
This years Music City Bowl is going to be filled with “top hits” when the (7-5, 5-3 ACC) Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets battle the (7-5, 3-5 SEC) Ole Miss Rebels.
History
The Rebels started the season off on a three game winning streak, including wins over Texas and Vanderbilt, but after the winning streak it all went down hill. They went on to lose 3 straight games to become 3-3 midway through the season. They bounced back October 19th, when they beat the LSU Tigers 27-24 and continued that way until they ran into the Missouri Tigers on second to last week of the season as they lost 24-10 and also lost to Mississippi in a close one in OT 17-10 to eventually finish 7-5 on the season.
The Rebels head coach Hugh Freeze came into the program last season and is doing great with a combined overall record of 14-11 in a very tough conference of the SEC. Freeze led the Rebels back to the post-season last year with a win in the BBVA Compass Bowl over the Pittsburgh Panthers 38-17. Overall as a program, Ole Miss is on a 5 bowl game winning streak dating back to the 2002 season when they beat Nebraska in the Independence bowl, 27-23.
As for the Yellow Jackets they started the season off going 3-0 including wins over @Duke and North Carolina, but just like the Rebels they started the first half of the season going 3-3 as they lost to Virginia Tech, @BYU, and @Miami(FL). The Rebels finished the season going 4-2 including a tough loss to rivals Georgia Bulldogs 41-34 in 2OTs at home.
Yellow Jackets’s Head Coach Paul Johnson has been with the team for six seasons having a combined record of 48-31(.608) in the regular season and only won 1 bowl game out of 5. If Paul Johnson doesn’t win this bowl game he could be on the hot seat next season going 7-5 for the second straight season.
These two programs have meet three times before this bowl game once in 1946, 1953, and the most recent 1971 the all-time series goes to Tech 2-1.
Impact Players
A top name to watch out for from the Ole Miss Rebels side would have to be WR Laquon Treadwell and from the Yellow Jackets, keep a watchful eye out for RB David Sims.
Freshman WR Laquon Treadwell is a threat to take it all the way on short passes. This season, the freshman has gathered 557 receiving yards with 5 touchdowns. He is also known for his speed as he is one the fastest WR in the nation. It’s going to be hard for him to see the end zone in the Music City Bowl because the Yellow Jackets are 30th in the nation for the fewest average points allowed per game at 22.7 PPG.
Dale Zanine/USA TODAY Sports
Senior RB David Sims is the leader for the 4th ranked rushing attack in the nation, averaging 311.7 rushing yards per game as a team and also the leader for the 23rd scoring offense averaging 36.6 PPG. David Sims as an individual has 846 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns. In his career he produced some great stats rushing for a total of 2,214 yards and 23 touchdowns.
Prediction
With both teams coming off a loss at the end of the season, these teams try to finish the season out strong and winning the Music City Bowl is a good way to do it. Watch for the Yellow Jackets to stop the Rebels offense who are just averaging 30.4 PPG, which is ranked 60th in the nation. For David Sims, this is his last year with the Yellow Jackets. Watch for him to pick up a few touchdowns in an emotional game.
Yellow Jackets: 34-28
Video by: Sports Gaming Universe