The Ole Miss vs. Memphis series will close for the foreseeable future after Saturday.  Oddly enough, the opening game between the Tigers and the Rebels will be paramount for Ole Miss, should it want to go bowling this postseason.

With early tilts against Memphis, Arkansas and Southeastern Louisiana, Ole Miss needs to come into the game against California in Oxford undefeated.

Should that not be the case, finding wins in the SEC West won’t be easy.

Matt Luke is entering his 3rd season with a pair of terrific coordinators in Rich Rodriguez and Mike MacIntyre. A bevy of talent on offense and an improved defense will help get to that coveted 3-0 mark.

That all starts with winning on Saturday. Here are 5 questions we have about Ole Miss’ trip to Memphis.

1. Will starting right tackle Alex Givens play substantial snaps?

It’s no secret Ole Miss is playing with a short deck across the offensive line. It has been the focal point all camp. It also muddied the waters when it was announced Given had back surgery during the offseason. At that point, the only player with offensive snaps of significance was right guard sophomore Ben Brown.

Luke has noted he feels comfortable with 7 or 8 linemen to play against Memphis. Unfortunately, when you see a depth chart that shows backups are starters at other positions, well, that’s problematic.

The good news? It was announced this week that Givens could go this week and is ahead of schedule in his rehabilitation. Secondly, Luke likes freshman Nick Broeker at left tackle. Look for Bryce Ramsey and Bryce Mathews to play important roles as well. If Ole Miss is going to be successful this fall, it will have to start up front.

2. What will Jerrion Ealy’s role be?

The one player fans and media alike are ready to see is the former 5-star from Jackson (Miss.) Prep and one of the most highly decorated players recruited at Ole Miss. When Luke was asked about Ealy specifically, he noted he looks forward to seeing what he can do in space.

Translation: He’s really fast and excited to see how that translates to major college football.

The most intriguing role he could play is in the return game. In high school, he was elusive with the ball on returns, having a knack for following blockers in the right spaces.

3. How much better will the defense be?

The first thing Luke did this offseason was hire MacIntyre, one of the best defensive minds in college football. Make no mistake, Mac has a tall task. It has come with a complete overhaul, implementing the 3-4 defense.

The good news? The installation went smoothly and injuries were limited except for OLB Qaadir Sheppard breaking his hand and Montrell Custis is still not 100 percent. Sheppard is planning on playing with a big club on his hand.

This defense knows the numbers from last fall. So does MacIntyre. Rather than break down said numbers, it’s time to show it on the field. It will have that chance in a few days.

4. Who will step up at wide receiver?

The Rebels lost basically all of their pass catchers from last season. A.J. Brown, D.K. Metcalf (and tight end Dawson Knox) were drafted. DaMarkus Lodge signed as a free agent. The gaping hole will have to be filled with youth.

A ton of freshmen and redshirt freshmen will be called upon Saturday. None appear more important than Braylon Sanders and Elijah Moore. Both are veterans and will be called on to lead. After that, it’s a free-for-all to watch. Highly touted freshmen Jonathan Mingo and Dannis Jackson will get a shot. So will Miles Battle, Dontario Drummond and Demarcus Gregory.

The targets are there for Matt Corral to throw to. The question remains, who’s going to step up?

5. How will Luke handle the first 2 crucial games?

These are arguably the 2 biggest games of his career. That’s not hyperbole. Should Ole Miss beat Memphis and Arkansas and come home and beat SELA like it should, the Rebels will host Cal in Week 4 inside a raucous, sold-out Vaught Hemingway Stadium.

Conversely, should Ole Miss enter the SELA game 0-2, the Rebels will be lucky to have 30,000 people in attendance.

Many believe this is far too critical of an opinion, but the first 2 games simply are what they are.

Should Luke enter the Cal game 3-0, and finish the season bowl eligible, his time as head coach at Ole Miss could be much more secure.

Enter the SELA game 0-2 in front of a sparse crowd with the gauntlet of the SEC west remaining?

All bets are off at that point.