Ole Miss vs. TCU: Complete Peach Bowl 2014 Viewing Guide and Predictions
Even though it doesn't fall into the same category of the Big Four bowl games, the 2014 Peach Bowl is one of the biggest games of the college bowl season because it features two Top 10 teams. Mississippi looks to end its miracle season with a win, while TCU wants to show the world it belonged in the playoff discussion.
This will be an emotional game for the Rebels, or at least for quarterback Bo Wallace. The senior is playing in his final game with the program after three years as a starter. Head coach Hugh Freeze is looking to become the first Mississippi coach to win three straight bowl games since John Vaught won four in a row from 1957-60.
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For the Horned Frogs, this is the game that will define their season. They may not have a chance to compete for a championship, but their argument as one of the top four teams is legitimate. Given how revered the SEC is, as well as the strength of Mississippi's defense, TCU can make a loud statement with a win on Wednesday.
With so much on the line for both programs, it's no wonder that the Peach Bowl is one of the most anticipated games on the schedule. Here is everything you need to know before things kick off, as well as a final prediction.
| Date | Matchup | Start Time (ET) | Network | Spread |
| December 31, 2014 | Ole Miss (9-3, 5-3 in SEC) vs. TCU (11-1, 8-1 in Big 12) | 12:30 p.m. | ESPN | TCU (-3) |
What Ole Miss Must Do
Mississippi has been carried by its defense all year. The Rebels allow an NCAA-best 13.8 points per game and allowed 20 or more points three times in 12 games. Freeze's secondary has been tremendous, ranking third in passing touchdowns allowed (eight), tied for sixth in interceptions (19) and 16th in pass yards allowed (187.6), per Yahoo.com.
That group will have its hands full with an explosive TCU offense that finished second in points per game (46.8) and seventh in passing (332.8). The Horned Frogs' only loss was in a game they scored 58 points.
There is reason to believe Ole Miss can slow down TCU quarterback Trevone Boykin. In the final game of the regular season, the Rebels held dual-threat quarterback Dak Prescott to 48 rushing yards on 24 carries. The Mississippi State star did have 282 passing yards, but his game is built on being able to run first.
Boykin isn't a significantly better passer than Prescott. The TCU standout had 718 more passing yards, but he also threw 116 more passes. Prescott had a sizable edge in yards per attempt (8.68 to 8.02) and slightly better completion percentage (61.2 to 60.5).
Being able to look over the tape of the Mississippi State game, the Rebels defense should be able to keep this matchup close.
On the other side of the ball, Todd Fuhrman of FoxSports.com noted that Mississippi's offense is underrated, or at least underappreciated:
"I think the biggest surprise for most is that Ole Miss actually has a very efficient offense as well, ranking 34th...but still 11 spots below their Chick-Fil-A opponent," Fuhrman wrote.
Wallace has endured his share of criticism, yet it's important to remember he had 251 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions against Alabama earlier this year. He is capable of putting up big numbers in a key spot.
Alex Scarborough of ESPN.com noted that Wallace compares favorably to an Ole Miss legend, including a quote from offensive coordinator Dan Werner:
"Nobody ever coined the term "Good Eli, Bad Eli," but Manning was an interception machine just like Wallace. In his final two years at Ole Miss, he threw 25 picks. Wallace, over his junior and senior seasons, has four fewer.
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"The issue that Bo has is that he’s a gambler, he’ll take some shots," Werner said. "The thing is, if you’re going to take some shots, sometimes they’re going to work out and make big plays and everybody gets excited, and sometimes it’s not going to work out and it’s going to get intercepted. He’ll make...two of the exact same decisions in a game, one is for a touchdown and the other is for an interception."
Mississippi's defense is so good that Wallace doesn't need to have the same performance he did against Alabama. As long as he avoids those mistakes and is efficient throwing the ball, the Rebels will be in the game down to the wire.
What TCU Must Do
As impressive as TCU's offense has been this season, it's entering a different world against Mississippi. With respect to the Big 12, the Horned Frogs' schedule wasn't full of defensive juggernauts. They only faced one defense that finished in the top 25 of points allowed (Kansas State) and three others in the top 40 (Minnesota, Texas, Baylor).
Boykin got a word of advice from Prescott about what to expect from Mississippi's defense, via Hugh Kellenberger and Courtney Cronin of The Clarion-Ledger:
"I talked to (Mississippi State quarterback) Dak Prescott about them and we chopped it up," Boykin said. "He told me they're a pretty physical team and they're going to fly around a lot."
In the same article, the TCU quarterback also talked about the difference in talent between the Rebels defense and what he usually faces in the Big 12:
"No, not at all," Boykin said. "The athletes they have on that side of the ball, it's kind of crazy because you don't see that every day in the Big 12 and it's going to be something new for us."
Being able to counter that speed and physicality is essential for TCU to succeed in the Peach Bowl.
There's also the question of how motivated TCU will be to play this game. Even though no one on the roster would admit it, going from the potential high of playing in the College Football Playoff to the Peach Bowl is a letdown.
Zac Ellis of Sports Illustrated wondered about the Horned Frogs' motivation factor after being left out of the championship race:
"Five days before the final College Football Playoff rankings were unveiled, TCU sat at No. 3 in the selection committee’s top 25. The Horned Frogs then whipped Iowa State, 55-3, on Championship Saturday. But rather than punching their playoff tickets, the Big 12 co-champions dropped to No. 6 while Big Ten champion Ohio State slid into the semifinal field. Now TCU players who expected to compete for a championship are spending the New Year in Atlanta.
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TCU head coach Gary Patterson told reporters earlier this month that he's treating this like a playoff game because of the team on the other side of the field, via Carlos Mendez of The Fort Worth Star-Telegram:
"We feel like this is a playoff game. Ole Miss is a team that was as high as third in the nation, that played at a very high level, that could have been in the playoffs, lost a couple heartbreakers — exactly what I would want as a coach. The kids are going to practice hard because they know the competition level.
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The spin cycle was in full effect on that day. The only way to know how TCU players feel about being in the Peach Bowl is seeing how they play. It's not likely the Horned Frogs will come out with their heads down, but Mississippi's defense can make any offense look lackluster.
Prediction
In matchups like this, it's always safest to bet on the physical team. TCU has been one of the best teams in the nation this season, but it's going up against a unique opponent, the likes of which it hasn't seen in 2014. Mississippi doesn't always look pretty, though you don't get style points for winning games.
Ole Miss 27, TCU 23
Stats via ESPN.com unless otherwise noted.
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