In preparation for Ole Miss’ home opener against UL Lafayette this weekend, Saturday Down South is taking a look at a key matchup that may decide the showdown between the Rebels and the Ragin’ Cajuns.

Ole Miss cornerback Senquez Golson vs. UL Lafayette wide receiver Jamal Robinson

Golson and Robinson are both established seniors who have accomplished a tremendous amount for their respective programs.

Golson has now recorded an interception in four straight seasons at Ole Miss after picking-off a pass in a week 1 win over Boise State. He has seven career interceptions just two games into his senior season, finishing second on the team with two picks last year and tying for the team lead with three as a sophomore in 2012.

Robinson, meanwhile, has been an explosive, big-play receiver since his arrival in Lafayette four years ago. He began to emerge as a deep threat for the Ragin’ Cajuns as a sophomore in 2012, catching 26 passes for 630 yards, an average of more than 24 yards per reception. He became a fixture in the ULL starting lineup last season, posting team-highs with 54 catches for 862 yards and eight touchdowns.

Both the Rebels and the Ragin’ Cajuns have shown the ability to score points in bunches early in 2014; Ole Miss has scored 76 points in two games (38 per game), while ULL posted 65 points in its first two games of the year (32.5 points per contest).

However, the ULL defense has allowed opponents to score 54 points this season, compared to the 16 total points allowed through two games by the Ole Miss defense. A key element to the Rebels’ success on defense is their ability to eliminate the threat of opposing No. 1 receivers, which is why this week’s key matchup between Golson and Robinson is so critical.

Golson has not allowed an opposing No. 1 widoeut to flex his muscles against the Ole Miss defense so far this season. Boise State’s leading receiver in week 1 was tailback Jay Ajayi, who did most of his work as a checkdown option. The Broncos’ top wideout, Matt Miller, caught six passes for 84 yards, but never got in the end zone and made little impact on BSU’s 13 points for the game.

The Vanderbilt passing game was a complete mess, as Ole Miss limited the Commodores to just six completions for 60 yards in a week 2 rout. Vandy’s leading receiver for the game was tight end Stephen Scheu, who caught three passes for 34 yards (he was the only player on the offense to catch more than one pass).

No true wide receiver has led his team in yards or touchdowns through the air when opposing the Ole Miss defense in 2014, a credit to Golson and his ability to eliminate top-flight wideouts from making impactful plays.

Robinson will be looking to buck that trend with a big game Saturday in Oxford. He has seven catches for 141 yards and two touchdowns so far this season, once again averaging more than 20 yards per reception. He is ULL’s most likely candidate to make a game-breaking play on offense, and eliminating him from the mix would go a long way in shutting down the Ragin’ Cajuns.

Ole Miss will be heavily favored in its home opener, and ULL should take a few shots down the field in its attempt at an upset. The Rebels may not shut out their guests this weekend, but as long as Golson and company can keep Robinson from being the man to beat them, they should be just fine.