Camping World Stadium – Orlando
Kickoff: Monday, 8:00 p.m. ET
Line: Florida State -4, Total: N/A

Opening Weekend concludes with two legitimate College Football Playoff contenders, #4 Florida State and #11 Ole Miss, running the risk of starting the season with a blemish.

Mississippi was the only team to beat eventual champions Alabama, but couldn’t sustain their success past that Week 3 high point. The Rebels were upset at Florida, at Memphis, and at home in overtime against Arkansas en route to a 9-3 regular season. As 7.5-point favorites in the Sugar Bowl, Mississippi embarrassed Oklahoma State in a 48-20 victory. Three Rebels were drafted in the first round of the NFL Draft, leaving Mississippi with holes to fill throughout the starting lineup. Heisman hopeful QB Chad Kelly is back, though his two most productive receivers, four starting offensive lineman and two of the top three RBs from last year are gone. Returning DE Marquis Haynes tied a team record with ten sacks, and there is enough talent on every level of the defense for Mississippi to compete with anyone. Florida State rose as high as #9 in the AP Poll before an upset loss at Georgia Tech in October. The only other regular-season loss was in a competitive game at Clemson, and the season ended on a sour note with a 38-24 loss to Houston as 7.5-point favorites in the Peach Bowl. FSU returns all eleven starters on offense, including juggernaut RB Dalvin Cook. Questions linger at QB, but a trio of WRs who combined for 2,336 yards last year should make the passing game click. The Seminoles D has plenty of star power, as well, and could have one of the country’s best pass rushes. These teams haven’t played each other since 1961. Under Hugh Freeze, Mississippi is 15-5 ATS (17-3 SU) in non-conference games, 7-1 ATS (8-0 SU) in the first two weeks of the season and 6-0 ATS & SU in road games in the first month of the season. Since 2014, Florida State is 1-3 ATS (4-0 SU) in the first two weeks of the season, and they’re 3-7 ATS (8-2 SU) in non-conference games. Seven of FSU head coach Jimbo Fisher’s eight games against the SEC have been UNDER the total.

Junior college transfer QB Chad Kelly (4,042 passing yards, 31 passing TD, 13 INT, 509 rushing yards, 10 rushing TD) torched the competition upon arriving in Oxford, leading Mississippi to 40.8 points per game (8th in the nation) and 7.1 yards per play (4th). Though No. 1 WR Laquon Treadwell (1,153 receiving yards, 11 TD) is gone, the trio of WR Quincy Adeboyejo (38 receptions, 604 yards, 7 TD), WR Damore’ea Stringfellow (36 receptions, 503 yards, 5 TD) and TE Evan Engram (38 receptions, 464 yards, 2 TD) will keep the passing game potent. RB Akeem Judd averaged 5.4 yards per carry as a backup a year ago, but rises to a starting role behind an offensive line that lost four starters. Though Mississippi’s defense gave up 259 passing yards per game (105th in the nation), that number was inflated by how often opponents were forced to throw because of the Rebels’ high-scoring offense: Their 6.3 yards per pass attempt average ranked 22nd nationally. DE Marquis Haynes (10 sacks, 16.5 TFL) leads the pass rush, while DT Isaac Gross’s return from last season’s neck injury will keep the defensive line robust. LB DeMarquis Gates led the team in tackles last season despite coming off the bench as an OLB in nine games, and could be starting in the middle of a thin linebacking group. SS Tony Conner, a future pro who missed eight games last year, should anchor the secondary from Mississippi’s hybrid “Huskie” position.

To say Florida State RB Dalvin Cook was a beast last season is an understatement. Despite multiple nagging injuries and a shaky offensive line, Cook amassed 1,935 yards from scrimmage and 20 TD in 12 games. The offensive line will surely improve as it returns seven players with starting experience. Dual-threat freshman QB Deondre Francois should take over as the starter very soon. Regardless of who’s throwing the passes, the Seminoles have tons of talent ready to catch them with the WR trio of Travis Rudolph (59 receptions, 916 yards, 7 TD), Kermit Whitfield (57 receptions, 798 yards, 6 TD) and Jesus Wilson (58 receptions, 622 yards, 3 TD) returning intact. FSU’s defense can be just as good as last season, when they allowed 17.5 points per game (9th in the nation) and 5.6 yards per pass attempt (4th). Star DE DeMarcus Walker (10.5 sacks, 15.5 TFL, 4 forced fumbles) chose to put the NFL Draft off for a year and return to Tallahassee, and former five-star recruit DE Josh Sweat is expected to break out as a sophomore. The Seminoles lost most of their linebacking production, and LBs Ro’Derrick Hoskins (31 solo tackles, 6.5 TFL) and Matthew Thomas (missed 2015 with a shoulder injury) need to step up as they ascend into starting roles. Though DB Jalen Ramsey, fifth overall pick in the NFL Draft, is gone, FSU has the depth to replace him. Sophomore FS Derwin James (4.5 sacks, 9.5 TFL, 52 solo tackles) moves around the formation, and he’s capable of providing reliable coverage or aggressive backfield pressure. He’s a rising star who projects as a future first-round NFL draft pick.