Quarterback
David Ash’s improved play continued on Saturday against New Mexico, as he completed 16 of 22 attempts for 221 yards and two touchdown passes and also scored on a 49 yard run. He has been very accurate in his first two games, completing 73.5 percent of his passes, and has yet to throw an interception. Ole Miss has also enjoyed strong production from the quarterback position, as Bo Wallace has been a weapon both passing and running the ball. Wallace has thrown for 438 yards and five touchdowns, and his 76.7 completion percentage is second in the SEC. The quarterback also leads the team in rushing, as he has gained 135 yards on the ground and found the endzone twice. The Longhorns cannot complain with what Ash has given them so far, but Wallace gets the edge here due to his ability to lead the offense in all phases of the game.
Advantage: Ole Miss
Running backs
The Longhorns continued to be effective on the ground in their second game, as they ran for 146 yards as a team on 31 carries and scored three rushing touchdowns. Joe Bergeron led the ground attack for Texas once again, turning his 11 carries into 49 yards and finding the end zone for the third time this season. Standout freshman Johnathan Gray saw his workload increase in his second game, and he tallied 30 yards on the ground. Ole Miss’ leading rusher is a quarterback, and of the trio of Bergeron, Gray, and Malcolm Brown, someone is bound to have a big game on the ground for the Longhorns each week.
Advantage: Texas
Wide Receivers
Jaxon Shipley and Mike Davis have each turned in nice performances for the Longhorns so far. Thanks in large part to a strong seven catch game in week one, Shipley leads Texas with nine receptions and 75 yards, and Davis is not far behind with seven catches for 70 yards. Neither of the Texas starters have been able to match the production of Donte Moncrief though, as the sophomore has hauled in 11 balls for 176 yards and two touchdowns this season. He has long catches of 53 and 55 yards in his two games, and his ability to get open downfield gives Ole Miss a dimension that the Longhorns have not had this season.
Advantage: Ole Miss
Offensive Line
The Texas offensive line has had very few issues two games into the season. The experienced starters across the line have given David Ash plenty of time to throw, and he has only thrown 13 incompletions because of it. The Longhorns have also been effective running the ball, averaging 213 yards as a team in their first two games. What is most impressive is that the line has been able to block well for each of the Longhorns’ running formations, as five players have rushed the ball at least seven times and the team still sports a 5.5 rush average. Ole Miss has also been the beneficiary of strong blocking. The Rebels have run the ball more than the Longhorns, and as a team they average more than six yards a carry. They have only run for four touchdowns, however, compared to the Longhorns’ seven, and Texas’ ability to complete drives on the ground gives its line the advantage.
Advantage: Texas
