There’s plenty of excitement surrounding Ole Miss football in 2015, mostly because of an experienced and talented roster that ranks No. 17 in the country to start the season and is expected to contend for a SEC championship.

Chad Kelly will be the new quarterback at the helm for the Rebels but he will have to continue to fend off some very skilled redshirt sophomores, Ryan Buchanan and DeVante Kincade, to remain the starter all season.

This team’s bread and butter will continue to be an aggressive “Landshark” defense that will give the Rebels a chance to win any game on their schedule this year.

SEC Network analysts Clint Stoerner and Chris Doering recently predicted each game of Ole Miss’ season. They started with some sure wins already up on the board before they got into games in contention:

  • vs. Tennessee-Martin
  • vs. Fresno State
  • vs. Vanderbilt
  • vs. New Mexico State
  • at Memphis

The Rebels non-conference schedule doesn’t feature any daunting opponents and playing Vanderbilt in Oxford should feel just as easy as playing those non-SEC teams.

Now come the matchups that are harder to decide:

SEPT. 19 — OLE MISS AT ALABAMA

Predicted result: Loss

Doering: “I think it’s a little payback situation. The [Crimson] Tide certainly frustrated after last year’s loss there in Oxford. I think this is going to be their first loss of the season when they take that trip to Tuscaloosa.”

Stoerner: “Playing is Tuscaloosa is obviously a tough task. You mentioned the game last year — Alabama has a lot more to play for.”

OCT. 3 — OLE MISS AT FLORIDA

Predicted result: Win

Stoerner: “This one here really hurts me because I like Florida to compete for the [SEC] East … I think they’ve got a chance. But this Ole Miss football team with [Laquon] Treadwell, [Damore’ea] Stringfellow, [Evan] Engram; I think those are too much. And then Florida’s struggles on the offensive line, [Robert] Nkemdiche ought to have a big day.”

Doering: “I like Florida only because it’s going to be a defensive battle — maybe a 3-0 game. But I truly believe this is going to be a win for the Gators.”

Host Dari Nowkhah actually had to come back around to this game in order to break the tie because it’s such a close call in his mind. Nowkhah finally decided to go with Ole Miss here, citing the fact that it will still be early in the season and Florida’s offense could still be trying to gel together.

OCT. 24 — TEXAS A&M AT OLE MISS

Predicted result: Win

Doering: “I think this is a game that Ole Miss wins. The defense is going to shut them down. I don’t think the Texas A&M defense is going to make a big enough of a jump to be able to slow down what Ole Miss can roll at them.”

Stoerner: “I’m not buying [Texas] A&M’s defense. They’re not going to make the jump from last year to this year to be good enough to compete with this Ole Miss football team.”

OCT. 31 — OLE MISS AT AUBURN

Predicted result: Loss

Doering: “This is a loss for me. This is a game that obviously set their season on a downward spiral last year after that Laquon Treadwell injury. I think that Auburn wins it here.”

NOV. 7 — ARKANSAS AT OLE MISS

Predicted result: Win

Stoerner: “This one pains me as well, but until I see who steps up at the receiver position for Arkansas, I’ve got to go with the top dogs in the West and Ole Miss is one of them, so I’m picking Ole Miss here.”

NOV. 21 — LSU AT OLE MISS

Predicted result: Loss

Doering: “I disagree with you here. I think Ole Miss is going to get the win here at home. It’s going to be possibly the best atmosphere we’ve seen in Oxford in a while.”

Stoerner: “I’ve got to go with LSU here. I think at this point, they’ve got their struggles figured out — they know who’s playing quarterback. And all the talent there at LSU — I think LSU wins this one.”

Another game that is so close that Nowkhah opted to move on and come back to give his tie breaker. Nowkhah wasn’t feeling as generous with his second tiebreaker. He predicted the Tigers will come into Oxford and pull off the road win against the Rebels.

NOV. 28 — OLE MISS AT MISSISSIPPI STATE

Predicted result: Win

Stoerner: “I take Ole Miss. Dak Prescott doesn’t have enough.”

FINAL PREDICTED RECORD: 9-3