Ole Miss had an unimpressive resumé at just 4-4 near the end of the 2017 season. They weren’t a good team, but they had an excellent offense with explosive pass-catchers. Fresh off a win over Tennessee, the Wildcats were well on their way to becoming an eight-win team for the first time in decades. All they needed to do was take care of business against Ole Miss and Vanderbilt the following week.
The Wildcats struck first and led for most of the game. Benny Snell was playing peak Benny Snell Football, rushing for 176 yards and three touchdowns on 28 carries.