OXFORD, Miss. — Saturday’s matchup between No. 11 Ole Miss and No. 4 LSU brings firepower on both sides — but it’s often the hidden stats that tilt rivalry games. Here are five metrics to monitor that could tell the story before the final whistle.

1. Third down conversion percentage

• Ole Miss defense: Holding opponents to 30.2%
• LSU offense: Converting 47.9%
• This is strength vs. strength — and a potential game-decider. Ole Miss must find ways to get off the field.

2. Tackles for Loss (TFL)

• Zxavian Harris: 5.0 TFL (4th in SEC) Disrupting early downs will be critical to containing LSU’s run-pass balance.

3. Red zone TD rate

• Ole Miss offense: 13 TDs in 16 red zone trips
• Efficiency matters in a game where possessions will be limited.

4. Turnover margin

• Ole Miss: +4 
• LSU: Even
• The Rebels have made opponents pay for mistakes — and will need to again Saturday.

5. Yards per play allowed

• Ole Miss defense: 4.7
• LSU defense: 5.2
• Ole Miss is quietly more efficient — especially if they can limit explosive gains.