Ole Miss football in 2017 is of course a non-starter, insofar as the Rebel athletics department self-imposed a postseason ban, scholarship reductions, and other penalties out of deference to the NCAA’s updated NOA letter from earlier in the year. Every game this year means virtually nothing. But every game this year means also everything.
That being said, Alabama is Ole Miss’ Week 5 opponent. In light of recent history — Ole Miss’ bowl ban, Ole Miss’ back-to-back wins then spectacular loss last year, the Tide’s constant Death Star-dom, Hugh Freeze’s resignation, the Rebs’ defensive woes, the complete meaninglessness of this season — it might feel difficult to get up for this particular installment of the Ole Miss-Alabama ax fight.