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Ole Miss will have the services of star defensive tackle Walter Nolen in the Gator Bowl against Duke, according to a report from Inside the Rebels’ Tyler Komis on Saturday.
There was considerable speculation over whether the junior would play in the Jan. 2 matchup or turn the page and focus on his pro career and NFL Draft pursuits. According to Inside the Rebels, Nolen has been preparing and practicing to play in the bowl game that will end his standout collegiate career.
The 6-foot-3, 305-pound behemoth has been a rock for the Rebels’ defense in 2024, posting a career-high 48 tackles — 26 of them solo — with 2 pass deflections, 1 fumble recovery, and a career-high 6.5 sacks. Nolen has been projected by multiple outlets to be a first-round draft pick.
Kickoff for this year’s Gator Bowl in Jacksonville is set for 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN, and it appears that Nolen will be there 1 last time to help dominate in the trenches and clog the middle of Ole Miss’s defense.
Nolen is widely expected to pass up on his senior season and declare for April’s NFL Draft following the Gator Bowl.
ESPN’s FPI predictor believes Nolen will leave Ole Miss a winner, giving the Rebels an 83.2% chance to beat the Blue Devils in Jacksonville. The Rebels are a 14.5-point favorite in the game, via ESPN Bet.
Cory Nightingale, a former sportswriter and sports editor at the Miami Herald and Palm Beach Post, is a South Florida-based freelance writer who covers Alabama for SaturdayDownSouth.com.
