The Troy Trojans and Ole Miss Rebels will square off in Oxford on Saturday afternoon, the first game of either team's 2022 season. With that said, it’s a good time to check out our college football odds series, which includes a Troy-Ole Miss prediction and pick we have laid out below.
Troy went 5-7 in the 2021 season, missing a bowl game. Chip Lindsey was fired before the season's final game after a 5-6 record. Jon Sumrall was named the new head coach over the offseason, coming from his stint as defensive coordinator at Kentucky.
Ole Miss is coming off an impressive 10-3 season, culminating in a loss against Baylor in the Sugar Bowl on New Year's Day. Quarterback Matt Corral is now in the NFL, and the main task for head coach Lane Kiffin is finding the same level of production at that position.
Here are the Troy-Ole Miss college football odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
College Football Odds: Troy-Ole Miss Odds
Troy Trojans: +21.5 (-118)
Ole Miss Rebels: -21.5 (-102)
Over: 56.5 (-112)
Under: 56.5 (-108)
Why Troy Could Cover The Spread
Troy brings back quarterback Gunnar Watson, who is now entering his fifth season with the school. Watson has played sparingly in all of his four previous seasons, throwing 24 touchdown passes in his 23 games. Watson has tossed for 3,888 yards through the air and has only thrown 11 interceptions. Watson improved his play in training camp, winning the starting quarterback spot for his final season. Kimani Vidal, who has rushed for 1,217 yards in twenty career games with Tory, is back to anchor the backfield. Jamontez Woods led the team with six rushing touchdowns last season and will team up with Vidal in the backfield. Tez Johnson, who led the team with 735 receiving yards, is also back. Troy's offense desperately needs some life, as they averaged just 22.8 points per game, the 103rd mark in the NCAA.
Troy's defense was not much better, averaging 26.1 points allowed per game. Carlton Martial, who led the team with 126 tackles last season, and has racked up 443 in his career, is back to lead the defense. Javon Solomon is a possible pro prospect after leading the team with 11 sacks last season. A good performance in this one would go a long way.
Why Ole Miss Could Cover The Spread
Ole Miss will look to Luke Altmyer, who played in four games last season, and USC transfer Jaxson Dart to replace Matt Corral. Altmyer threw for 192 passing yards in limited time last season. Dart was a four-star recruit in the 2021 cycle, playing a bit for USC as a true freshman. Dart tossed nine touchdowns and 1,353 yards last season. The running back duo of Jerrion Ealy and Snoop Conner, who combined for 1,415 yards and 18 touchdowns last season, return, striking fear in opposing defenses. Ole Miss had a prolific offense last season, averaging 33.7 points per game in 2021.
Defensively, Ole Miss struggled at times to keep up in the SEC, surrendering 24.7 points per game, the 51st rank in the NCAA. The biggest loss is second-round pick Sam Williams, who led the team with 12.5 sacks last season. AJ Finley, who ranked fourth with 90 tackles last season, is the leading returning tackler. Finley has also intercepted six passes in his career, including a team-leading three picks last season.
Final Troy-Ole Miss Prediction & Pick
Count on Kiffin and his usual offensive magic in this one.
Final Troy-Ole Miss Prediction & Pick: Ole Miss -21.5 (-102), over 56.5 (-112)
