No. 15 Ole Miss and Texas A&M will both try to get on the winning track after Week 8 losses when they square off on Saturday in College Station, Texas, though the stakes in the season’s second half will be quite different for these two SEC West foes.

Ole Miss took its first loss of the season last week, falling 45-20 at LSU in a game that saw the Rebels get outscored 28-0 after halftime. It was a disappointing defeat that bounced Ole Miss from holding solo first place in the division and stripped the team’s top-10 status, but Lane Kiffin’s group is not out of the race by any means with a crucial head-to-head against Alabama in Oxford coming up on Nov. 12.

Texas A&M, on the other hand, took its third loss of the season in SEC play and fourth loss overall when the Aggies lost 30-24 at South Carolina on Saturday. Starting quarterback Haynes King left the game with an injury in the fourth quarter, and his exit forced freshman, and former five-star prospect, Conner Weigman into his first collegiate action. Jimbo Fisher said Monday that King “should be there” for the matchup against Ole Miss, but he did not commit to either King or Weigman as the team’s starter for the game.

There’s plenty to note about the matchup between an Ole Miss team looking to stay in the conference title race and a Texas A&M team looking to save its season with a ranked win.

Ole Miss vs. Texas A&M: Need to know

Two teams at two different speeds: Not only are these two teams on opposite ends of the SEC West standings, they are also on opposite ends on the pace rankings in college football. Ole Miss currently ranks third among all FBS teams at 20.3 seconds per play while Texas A&M ranks outside the top 90 nationally and in the bottom three among SEC teams. As is the case when two contrasting styles of offense square off, dictating the pace will be a huge part of the matchup.

Texas A&M hopes that its ball control and patient approach will keep Ole Miss out of rhythm, while the Rebels hope a fast start and quick scores will force the Aggies out of their comfort zone. Quick three-and-outs are the worst thing possible for both offenses, so look for third-down conversions and the ability to put together long drives also playing a key role in the outcome.

Ole Miss has one of the country’s best rushing attacks:

It’s not just that Kiffin’s offense moves quickly that bothers defenses, it’s the pace and versatility of a rushing attack that is one of the best in the country. Ole Miss leads the FBS with 26 rushing touchdowns on the season and ranks in the top five in the FBS in total yards, rushing yards per game and rushing attempts. The breakout star of the attack has been Quinshon Judkins, who leads all freshman nationally in rushing touchdowns (12) and rushing yards (831). Judkins also has five games with multiple rushing scores this season, a mark which is already tied for the single-season school record.

Weigman or King? Either one will be handing it off to Achane:

Fans have wondered if King’s injury will open the door for the Texas A&M staff to get an early start on the Conner Weigman era. The former five-star prospect has a high ceiling, but his 8-for-15 showing for 91 passing yards in late-game action didn’t give anyone a lot to work with in terms of predicting what he can do the immediate future. But with either King returning from injury or Weigman getting his first career start, the best thing Texas A&M can do on offense is put the ball in the hands of Devon Achane. The Aggies running back currently ranks third in the SEC, averaging 89.6 yards per game, but he’s also a factor in the passing attack and return game. When Texas A&M’s offense is at its best, the responsibility falls much less on the quarterback to carry the weight while allowing Achane to lead the way.

How to watch Ole Miss vs. Texas A&M live

Date: Saturday, Oct. 29 | Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Location: Kyle Field — College Station, Texas
TV: SEC Network |Online streaming: fuboTV (Try for free.)

• Tickets: Tickets as low as $90

		Ole Miss		Texas A&M

Ole Miss vs. Texas A&M prediction, picks

The expectation is that pace and length of drives are going to be huge factors in this game. That’s where Ole Miss’ ability to win third downs and continue to wear down Texas A&M’s defense will be a key for the Rebels. That rushing attack has helped Ole Miss rank No. 2 in the SEC and No. 10 nationally in third-down conversions at 52.3%. That helps Ole Miss bounce back and enter a much-needed bye week with a win. Prediction: Ole Miss -2.5