LSU football vs. Ole Miss: Score prediction, scouting report for CBS matchup

Another week, another tough matchup for LSU football.

This week, No. 7 Ole Miss (7-0, 3-0 SEC) will travel to Baton Rouge to take on the Tigers (5-2, 3-1 SEC) in Tiger Stadium on Saturday (2:30 p.m., CBS).

LSU had its confidence boosted last Saturday in an explosive win over Florida, as the Tigers put up over 500 yards of offense and scored touchdowns on their opening six possessions of the night. Ole Miss, meanwhile, ran the ball up and down the field vs. Auburn, producing 448 rushing yards in a 48-34 win in Oxford.

Here's a closer look at the matchup and a score prediction for coach Brian Kelly's first CBS game at LSU.

Can LSU stop the run?

Few rushing attacks in football have been as lethal as Ole Miss' ground game this season.

The Rebels are averaging 6.1 yards per rush attempt and have already accumulated over 1,900 yards as a team. They lead the SEC in rushing yards per game by over 31 yards and might have the best one-two punch at running back in the nation with TCU transfer Zach Evans and prolific freshman Quinshon Judkins.

Judkins has 402 rushing yards after contact and 10 touchdowns. Evans is averaging a team-high 3.42 yards after contact per rushing attempt and has 21 runs of 10 or more yards.

LSU's run defense, on the other hand, has struggled in recent weeks, surrendering 263 rushing yards against Tennessee and another 210 yards at Florida.

But Tiger fans should have some confidence that LSU can turn around its recent struggles in this department.

LSU's problems against the run haven't been scheme or talent based. It's mostly been because of poor tackling and surrendering big plays, both problems that are more fixable than not having the proper bodies at the point of attack or an improper run-fitting scheme.

The importance of Jayden Daniels as a runner

Ole Miss' defense has played well for most of this season. But if there's been a recurring problem with the unit, it's been defending mobile quarterbacks.

Last week, Auburn's Robby Ashford ran for 63 yards and had 44 yards after contact. Against Tulsa's Braylon Braxton, they surrendered 9.8 yards per rush attempt and 35 yards after contact.

Ashford and Braxton are good athletes, but neither is as explosive as Daniels on the ground. Daniels leads all FBS quarterbacks in runs of 10 or more yards and yards after contact (300).

Utilizing Daniels' legs will be key, especially if the Tigers' receivers have trouble consistently getting open against Ole Miss' speed and dime packages.

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Player to watch: Deantre Prince

Prince has been fantastic for the Rebels in coverage this season, allowing only seven receptions on 23 targets for 77 yards. The senior cornerback has held opposing quarterbacks to a 37.8 NFL passer rating when thrown at and has contributed as a tackler with 18 takedowns on the year.

In part thanks to Prince, Ole Miss' secondary has been excellent this year. The Rebels have picked off six passes and are holding opposing quarterbacks to an 84.9 NFL passer rating.

Score prediction: LSU 28, Ole Miss 27

LSU has the right matchup advantages, thanks to Daniels' explosive rushing ability and the Tigers' talent on the defensive side of the ball. But if they struggle to defend the run game for a third consecutive week, this prediction could go sideways in a hurry.

Koki Riley covers LSU sports for The Daily Advertiser and the USA TODAY Sports South Region. Email him at kriley@theadvertiser.com and follow him on Twitter at @KokiRiley.

This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: LSU football vs. Ole Miss Rebels: Scouting report, score prediction