College football teams looking to improve in a single offseason are getting a good blueprint to follow in Oxford.
No. 11 Ole Miss brought in 25 players from the transfer portal, with a heavy focus on defense, and are now two games away from (probably) making the first edition of the 12-team College Football Playoff.
The additions have worked for the Rebels, especially on defense. Based on ESPN’s new stop rate metric, Ole Miss can boast about having one of the best defenses in the nation.
The Rebels rank No. 7 in the stop rate metric with a stop rate of 75.2 percent and an average of 1.18 points per drive. This is the debut season for ESPN’s latest stat, but it’s safe to say the Rebels have improved significantly.
This week’s opponent, Florida, doesn’t rank as high. The Gators are ranked No. 78 in stop rate with a 60 percent and an average of 2.31 points per drive.
For teams looking to see how Ole Miss has successfully used the transfer portal, here’s how to watch and listen to Saturday’s game in Gainesville, Fla.
How to Watch: No. 11 Ole Miss at Florida
- Who: No. 11 Ole Miss Rebels (8-2, 4-2 SEC) at Florida Gators (5-5, 3-4 SEC)
- When: 11 a.m., Saturday
- Where: Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Gainesville, Fla.
- TV: ABC
- Radio: Ole Miss Radio Network
- Series: All-time series is tied 12-12-2
- Last meeting: Sept. 26, 2020 (Florida won 51-35)
- Last time out, MSU: def. then-No. 3 Georgia, 28-10
- Last time out, MIZ: def. then-No. 22 LSU, 27-16
