Mississippi-Auburn Preview

AUBURN, Ala. (AP) -- No. 23 Auburn is holding out hope that this wacky, upset-filled season will somehow end with the Tigers getting a shot at a Southeastern Conference championship.

Mississippi, on the other hand, just wants to finally win a league game.

The two teams meet on Saturday, trying to rebound from tough blows to their seasons. The Tigers lost in the last seconds at No. 3 LSU, and the Rebels remained winless in the SEC, losing 44-8 to Arkansas.

"They won't play two games in a row like they played last week," Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville predicted. "This will be a game in which they can change their fortunes around."

It holds a different kind of significance for the Tigers (5-3, 3-2), who will need to win their final three SEC games and get plenty of help from other teams to win the Western Division. It's a slim hope at best, and they know it.

Still, it's a season of surprises; Mississippi State upset Auburn, Vanderbilt beat South Carolina and Kentucky knocked off LSU.

"You've got to motivate yourself," guard Tyronne Green said. "With the way this season's been playing out, anything could happen in the SEC. We're trying our hardest just to win out the rest of these games and hope for the best. Maybe we'll still have a shot at the SEC. It's easy to motivate yourself."

The Rebels (2-6, 0-5) have lost their first five SEC games for the first time since 1984 but have flirted with upsets of Alabama and Florida.

The meltdown against the Razorbacks left plenty of questions for the team, especially at quarterback.

Coach Ed Orgeron said Seth Adams will remain the starter despite throwing for just 79 yards and getting intercepted four times. Brent Schaeffer came in and threw a late touchdown pass.

Orgeron could have a quick hook if Adams struggles again.

"Seth Adams is going to continue to be our starting quarterback but there is going to be less room for error," the coach said. "If he shows that he cannot do it, we will put Brent Schaeffer in there."

Schaeffer nearly led Ole Miss to an upset of then-No. 7 Auburn last season but the Tigers kicked two field goals in the final 7:35 for a 23-17 win.

Defensive end Quentin Groves said that familiarity helps the Tigers get ready for Schaeffer if the Rebels turn to him.

"Playing Brent Schaeffer last year helped us prepare for him," Groves said. "Seth is a guy that's going to be a pocket passer. You kind of like those guys because you don't have to run around as much. At the same time, he has a great arm."

But the Rebels still are averaging a league-low 20 points, and going against the nation's 15th-rated scoring defense. Groves figures a big key will be stopping BenJarvus Green-Ellis, the league's No. 4 rusher.

"They can score points if you let them," he said. "The thing is you have to take away what they do, and that's run the ball."

Ole Miss catches an Auburn team coming off a 30-24 loss at LSU after allowing a touchdown pass with 1 second left. That tough defeat pushed the Tigers to third in the West behind LSU and Alabama.

Tuberville doesn't want his players giving up their title hopes just yet.

"As I told the team we have four games left and we want to take them one at a time and get better," he said. "We want to try and work our way up the ladder and see what happens. Anything can happen."