Home » Sports » Despite FCS opponent, Ole Miss determined to ‘attack every week the same’
OXFORD — It might be a game against an FCS opponent, but Ole Miss sophomore safety Tysheem Johnson wants the No. 22 Rebels to play Saturday like it’s any other game in the SEC gauntlet.
Ole Miss (1-0) hosts Central Arkansas (0-1) at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on Saturday night. The Rebels opened their 2022 campaign with a 28-10 win over Troy last weekend. It was far from a perfect performance, as a 28-3 third-quarter lead didn’t get any steeper, and the Rebels’ offense turned the ball over three times in the first half after a clean first two quarters.
The Ole Miss defense was good for the most part as well, giving up 4.3 yards per play, and both the offensive and defensive units figure to add to their confidence this weekend against a Central Arkansas program that has never beaten an SEC program in three tries and is 3-15 against the FBS since becoming an FCS program in 2006. Ole Miss has also won its last 10 home games, which included a perfect 7-0 mark last season. The Rebels last fell at home against Auburn on Oct. 24, 2020.
Sophomore Luke Altmyer will be the first quarterback leading the offense Saturday; sophomore USC transfer Jaxson Dart started last weekend, throwing for 154 yards, one touchdown and one interception, and added 40 yards rushing.
The Rebels and Bears have played once previously, a 49-27 Ole Miss in 2012 that was vacated. Ole Miss has a 99.1 percent chance to win Saturday’s game, according to ESPN, and is currently a 34-point favorite. The Rebels played an FCS opponent last season — Austin Peay — and won 54-17.
That’s not an excuse to coast this weekend, however. Johnson, who led the Rebels with 12 tackles, explained the importance of needing to treat a game against Central Arkansas how the Rebels would any other opponent.
“We have to attack this week the same way we’re attacking a bigger game later on in the year. We have to attack every week the same,” Johnson said. “That’s how we’re going to be able to play great and not play down to our opponents.”
Following the game against Georgia Tech, the Rebels play at Georgia Tech and host Tulsa before starting SEC play with Kentucky on Oct. 1. The Yellow Jackets hung tough with a top-five Clemson team on Labor Day, trailing just 14-3 at halftime before ultimately falling by 31 points.
Despite Johnson’s solid first game of 2022, he has things he personally wants to shore up as well.
“Just the little things. Having good eyes, cleaning up my footwork, keep tackling good at practice,” Johnson said. “Trying to clean up all the little stuff.”
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