It could literally rain on the Ole Miss Rebels’ parade when they visit Oklahoma on Saturday.
The No. 13 Sooners host No. 8 Ole Miss at 11 a.m. CT Saturday in a matchup between two 6-1 teams trying to remain College Football Playoff contenders. But it will not be ideal conditions for the top-15 clash with inclement weather expected throughout Tornado Alley this weekend.
Inclement weather expected in Norman on Saturday
According to AccuWeather, there’s an 88% chance of precipitation on Saturday in Norman and a 53% chance of thunderstorms. Rain is expected throughout the morning for the early kick, so if weather does affect the game, it will likely be in the first half.
Regardless, even if the rain holds off between whistles, the natural grass at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium will suffer the consequences of potentially hours of rain beforehand starting on Friday.
Both teams could be forced to rely heavily on their run game, where the Sooners have struggled so far this season. However, offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle has had to be innovative all year to find ways to get the ground game going when needed, meaning there could be a big dose of a healthy John Mateer, and the Sooners’ rushing attack actually showed life against South Carolina last week.
The Rebels, although their rushing totals are better, rely even more on their passing game for their potent offense to succeed. Teams focusing on that passing game is what opens up more holes for Ole Miss when it does go on the ground.
The Sooners, though, have the third-best rushing defense in the country, giving up only 80.4 yards a game through Week 8 and 2.54 yards a carry. If forced to rely solely on their running game, the Rebels might not be able to move an inch against the Sooners.
No matter what the offensive game plan, though, it won’t matter if the Oklahoma weather forces a defensive showdown. And if it comes down to defenses, the Sooners, with the best unit in college football, will hold the advantage at home.