Week 8 of the college football season is headlined in part by a showdown in the SEC between the Ole Miss Rebels and Texas Longhorns on Saturday afternoon.
Texas is already in dire straits, having lost back-to-back games against Oklahoma and Florida. If the Longhorns want to stay in College Football Playoff contention, they need to return to their winning ways – and they need to start now. Ole Miss also fell to Florida but has since recovered with a two-game winning streak.
With Saturday’s showdown set for 7:30 pm ET on ABC, it’s time to break down the odds and discuss the best bets to make.
Ole Miss vs. Texas betting picks and predictions
Ole Miss +3.5 (-121)
The oddsmakers are putting some respect on Texas’ name with a spread of more than a field goal, but it’s hard to trust this team in any capacity given its recent form.
In fact, not a single game against a Power 4 opponent has been a work of art. The Longhorns required a fourth-quarter comeback to beat Ohio State at home, almost lost at Tennessee and then got upended by Oklahoma and Florida – the latter at home.
Texas quarterback Arch Manning’s struggles are well documented, plus his offensive line in front of him has not been good and the play-calling has left a lot to be desired.
In other words, there is a myriad of problems on that side of the ball. Over the past six weeks, head coach Steve Sarkisian’s squad ranks No. 126 in PPA per play, No. 78 in success rate and No. 123 in scoring opportunities (per CollegeFootballData).
The Longhorns are also No. 64 nationally in scoring and No. 92 in total offense. Adding insult to injury, running back Hollywood Smothers is sidelined by a shoulder injury.
It is a much different story for Ole Miss’ operation, led by QB Trinidad Chambliss. The Heisman Trophy candidate (currently the third favorite in that department) comes in with 1,676 passing yards, a 67.6 completion percentage, a 14-to-4 touchdown-to-interception ratio and an additional six rushing TDs.
Running back Kewan Lacy has also returned from an early-season injury and torched Missouri for 122 yards last weekend.
The Rebels are the team with more momentum and superior health right now. Even on the road, they should be able to stay within a field goal if not even win this game outright.
Over 53.5 (-117)
Texas grades as one of the elite defensive units in the country, but the jury is still out on those numbers.
The Longhorns’ opponents have brought unspectacular passing attacks to the table, but now the situation is entirely different with Chambliss and the Rebels coming to town. They have scored at least 28 points in every game this season.
On deep passes of at least 20 yards down the field, Chambliss has thrown zero INTs with only two turnover-worthy plays (per PFF). If the home team can’t force turnovers, it could be in for a rough defensive day at the office.
Moreover, future first-round NFL Draft pick Colin Simmons will miss this game due to a high ankle sprain suffered in Texas’ loss to Florida. Simmons’ 10.5 sacks lead the nation, so his absence will be a big one – and that’s an understatement. Having more time in the pocket than he otherwise would get, Chambliss could really thrive in this spot.
As for UT’s offense, it may not be clicking at the moment but it does have a decent matchup against Ole Miss’ defense. The visitors are outside the top 70 in points allowed and outside the top 100 in total defense.
All things considered, the over looks like the way to go.
Raleek Brown Over 72.5 rushing yards (-114)
With Manning not playing well, Smothers not playing at all and Texas eager to keep Chambliss and company off the field for as long as possible, Brown should get a ton of carries on Saturday.
The senior has been relatively effective in 2026 while splitting time with Smothers, turning 61 attempts into 265 yards (4.3 average) and five touchdowns.
Success on the ground can be found against the Rebels, too. They are allowing 153.5 rushing yards per game on 4.0 yards per carry and have surrendered 11 rushing touchdowns compared to just five through the air.
Read more college football picks and predictions on site.
Ole Miss vs. Texas odds
Ole Miss | +132 |
Texas | -157 |
Spread | Texas -3.5 |
Total Points | O/U 53.5 |
Ole Miss vs. Texas player props
Anytime touchdown
Raleek Brown (Texas) | -185 |
Kewan Lacy (Ole Miss) | -125 |
Cam Coleman (Texas) | +105 |
Trinidad Chambliss (Ole Miss) | +120 |
Arch Manning (Texas) | +125 |
Deuce Alexander (Ole Miss) | +140 |
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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.
