1st Test?!?

Well I guess the whole country gets to find out if we are worthy of our #4 ranking. Going to be a tough one and I am sure the Ole ball coach has got some tricks up his sleeve, he usually does. Anywho, I am pretty excited about it and just hope that we can put it all together for a victory. Naturally, I will put up some thoughts about the game whether we win or lose, but lets hope it is a win. Here is just a sample of info you can attain from the Ole Miss website. I just wanted to wet your beak a little...

SERIES INFO: This game will be the 15th meeting between Ole Miss and South Carolina dating back to 1947, and the sixth since the Gamecocks joined the SEC in 1992. The Rebels lead the series 8-6 and had won five straight meetings until South Carolina defeated the Rebels 31-24 last season in Oxford. Ole Miss has won four of the five SEC meetings: 30-28 at Oxford in 1998, 36-10 in 1999 at Columbia, 43-40 in Oxford in 2003 and 31-28 in Columbia in 2004, which was the last encounter at Carolina. The Rebels have won four straight in Williams-Brice Stadium and boast a 4-3 all-time mark in Columbia.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR: With eight straight wins, Ole Miss is riding its longest win streak in nearly 37 years and boasts the second-longest current streak in the nation ... The Rebels are shooting for a 3-0 start for the first time since 1989 ... The Rebels are seeking to snap a five-game skid in SEC openers ... Ole Miss is averaging 46.5 points over its last six games ... Jevan Snead is riding a school-record streak of eight straight games with multiple TD passes.

SOUTH CAROLINA SCOUTING REPORT: The Gamecocks rebounded from a 41-37 SEC-opening setback at Georgia to dismantle Florida Atlantic 38-16 Saturday in their home opener. After a slow offensive start to the season, Carolina has averaged 39.5 points in its last two games. Sophomore QB Stephen Garcia ranks second in the SEC in total offense at 253.0 yards per game. The USC defense ranks fourth in the SEC in total defense (249.3 ypg) and second in rush defense (87.3 ypg). The unit is also tied for the league lead in sacks with 10, led by senior All-SEC LB Eric Norwood with four.

CAROLINA COACHING TIES: Before joining the Rebels, defensive coordinator/linebackers coach Tyrone Nix spent three seasons at South Carolina 2005-07. In 2007, he coached inside linebackers in addition to coordinating a Gamecock defense that topped the SEC and ranked fifth nationally in pass defense, allowing just 168.8 yards through the air. Under Nix’s watch, the USC defense in 2006 was sixth in the SEC and 29th in the country in scoring defense, surrendering 18.7 points per game, 4.5 fewer than in 2005 despite returning just one starter. In his first year in Columbia, Nix served as co-defensive coordinator and tutored the defensive line.

SEC OPENERS• Ole Miss is 30-42-3 in SEC openers ... The last league-opening win came in 2003 in Nashville, 24-21 over the Commodores ... The Rebels are just 2-14 in their last 16 conference openers.• The Rebels are 14-25-3 in SEC openers on the road ... The last league-opening road win came in 2003 in Nashville, 24-21 over the Commodores. • Ole Miss is beginning its SEC schedule with South Carolina for the first time.