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Ole Miss is trying to stay afloat despite a bowl ban and the firing of coach Hugh Freeze due to an off-field controversy, while Cal hopes to keep surprising with another win. The Rebels enter this game as slight favorites, but the home field should allow the Bears to be competitive and possibly pull out a win if they play well.
While these teams aren’t expected to be in the upper tier of their conferences this season, this is nonetheless an intriguing early-season matchup between Pac-12 and SEC foes.
Kickoff for this regular season Week 3 game is set for Saturday, September 16, 2017, at 10:30 p.m. ET at Memorial Stadium.
College Football Odds at BookMaker.eu
Mississippi -4
California +4
Over/Under 72
Odds Analysis
Ole Miss is favored to go on the road and take care of business by more than a field goal. The betting public believes in the Rebels, as more than 67 percent of the early action is on them to cover the spread.
The scoring total is really high as points are expected to be scored early and often. The “over” is still getting bet on nearly twice as much as the “under.” The Bears are the +165 underdogs on the moneyline while Mississippi is the -185 favorite. The action has been pretty evenly distributed for both teams on the moneyline.
Matchup to Watch
Ole Miss passing game vs. the Cal defense -- The Rebels’ aerial attack has been impressive through two games. Quarterback Shea Patterson has thrown for 918 yards with nine touchdowns and only one interception in victories over UT-Martin and South Alabama.
His leading receiver has been A.J. Brown, who has 16 catches for 289 yards and four touchdowns. Brown had eight catches for a ridiculous 233 yards in the opener against South Alabama and added eight catches for 156 yards last time out. He has two touchdown receptions in each contest.
California has given up an average of 326 yards per game through the air this season. The Rebels haven’t faced a BCS conference foe yet, so it’s fair to wonder if the passing game will click all year as the opponents get tougher, but the Bears are pretty soft against the pass. More success for Patterson and Brown is expected in this one.
Player to Watch
Patrick Laird. California lost starting tailback Tre Watson for the season when he injured his leg last week against Weber State. Watson was hurt on a screen pass and it’s a tough blow for the Bears.
Laird is the next man on the depth chart and now he should get the majority of the carries in this one. Laird filled in seamlessly against Weber State, finishing with 12 carries for 191 yards and three touchdowns.
That was the first significant action of his career, and it will be interesting to see how Laird fares against a much tougher defense. If he can get the ground game going, it will be a big help for California’s chances at pulling the upset.
Free ATS Pick
Ole Miss might be 2-0, but it wasn’t exactly dominant against a pair of lower-conference opponents. California is also not a dominant team, so this one is hard to peg. While it may depend on a handful of big plays, the prudent choice is the home underdog in a matchup which could go either way.
Take Cal on the moneyline as it gives solid odds in a game that is pretty much a toss-up. Ole Miss may have the talent edge but the Bears could very well come away victorious.
College Football Odds: California 35, Ole Miss 34
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