Checking in on the early-season temperatures in Oxford, Miss. …

HOT

The Ole Miss defense. The Rebels are fourth in the SEC in total defense — allowing just 283 yards per game to opposing offenses — and are second in scoring defense, allowing just 16 total points over their first two games of 2014. One team ranked ahead of Ole Miss in both categories is Florida, which has played just one game against lowly Eastern Michigan. Five different Rebels have recorded an interception this season, and Ole Miss has caused its opponents trouble in the backfield with four sacks and 14 tackles for loss. The Rebels have All-SEC performers at every level of the defense, including Robert Nkemdiche, Serderius Bryant and Cody Prewitt, and are both talented and experienced on that side of the ball.

WARM

Rebels’ quarterback Bo Wallace. The senior quarterback threw three early interceptions against Boise State, but has not committed a turnover since, leading Ole Miss to 69 points in its last five quarters since the fourth quarter against the Broncos. Wallace has posted back-to-back 300-yard performances, and has thrown for five touchdowns while completing 72 percent of his passes. When Wallace protects the ball, he is one of the best quarterbacks in the SEC, and his abilities are beginning to show after a rocky start to the new season.

COLD

The Ole Miss rushing attack. The Rebels leading rusher through two games, Jordan Wilkins, has run for just 48 yards this season. As a team, Ole Miss is averaging only three yards per carry on the ground, and only has four rushing touchdowns including a pair of garbage time touchdowns against the Commodores. The Rebels’ stable of tailbacks has under-performed tremendously in 2014, and the offense is beginning to look more and more one-dimensional as a result, which could spell trouble for Ole Miss in the meat of its SEC schedule.

FROZEN

Ole Miss’ offensive line play. The Rebels have allowed more sacks (5) and tackles for loss (19) than any other team in the SEC, while also committing a league-high 19 penalties (no one else in the SEC has more than 14). Ole Miss committed seven false starts in week 1 to kill productive drives time and time again. The run game has not been what coach Hugh Freeze had hoped before the season, and the Rebels’ veteran offensive line deserves plenty of the blame. Ole Miss is loaded at the skill positions, but without consistent offensive line play it will be difficult for the offense to ever reach its full potential.