Before last year's game against Alabama, Ole Miss QB Bo Wallace said his team could put points on Alabama (or anyone for that matter) and the matchup between the Rebels and Crimson Tide would be a close game.

He also said the week before the game that his team had better receivers outside than Texas A&M, a team that had fallen 49-42 to Alabama two weeks before.

Wallace's words were not prescient. Alabama shut out Ole Miss 25-0 in Tuscaloosa, Ala., on September 28. Wallace finished 17-31 passing for 159 yards.

His comments got a lot of attention, both before and after the game. Wallace remembers the attention.

"I was just showing confidence in our players," Wallace told CBS Sports. "They just turned it around as much as they could. Their media is like fans of Bama."

It's not just an Alabama phenomenon; local media across the country can have a tendency to lean to the team it primarily covers. But you can bet that it'll be chuckled at heartily in newsrooms across the state even if there may be a semblance of truth for some.

When previewing this year's game during his media availabilty this week, Wallace made no statements resembling last years' when he was asked about the shellacking. Saturday's game is much bigger game for the Rebels' than last year's was. With a home win, Ole Miss would vault into the conversation for not only the SEC West title but the College Football Playoff as well.

"I just think we’re a different offense than we were last year,” Wallace said. “I think that our guys have matured. Our young guys, that was one of their first big tests, going into Bama and having to play them. So those guys have matured and are making great plays and we’re getting the run game together at the right time. Had a real good rushing game last week so we’re just going to go out and play ball and see what happens."

For more Ole Miss news, visit RebelGrove.com.

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Nick Bromberg is the assistant editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!

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