Sports Thread For 9/24/09: BCS BS Football- Ole Miss National Title Hopes In Serious Risk

Photo from Mary Ann Chastian

Down 16-3 to South Carolina, with Jevan Snead getting harassed all night long and not looking Heisman like at all.

And in the end, the pressure of high expectations and national championship hopes has gotten to Ole Miss, as Houston Nutt's side losses a bitter disappointing game to a South Carolina team not one of the most talented around Columbia in the tenure of Steve Spurrier.

The 16-10 loss to the Gamecocks was hampered by arguably Jevan Snead's worst performance ever, as that vaunted Rebel offense looked like a shell of itself throughout the entire game.

But credit must also be given to the other quarterback in this game, Steven Garcia. Normally prone to hurt his team with a key mistake in a game, Garcia turned in a heady, mistake free performance that will make the "Ol' Ball Coach" happy indeed. Certainly happy is senior linebacker Eric Norwood, who came back to other USC for games like this and showed his quality, leading the Gamecock defense and the program to their first win over a Top 5 team since 1981.

On the other side though, it is not an excuse for a program who let their unusual position of being the huntee get to them.

I know Tim Tebow is sad that he may not get the chance at revenge on the team that beat him last season. But no question, Snead and the Rebels are obviously the ones hurting the most.