The No. 12 Ole Miss Rebels need a bounce-back performance this week when they take on the South Carolina Gamecocks in Columbia.

Ole Miss (4-1, 0-1 SEC) suffered an embarrassing loss to the Kentucky Wildcats last week, and its College Football Playoff hopes need a boost as we enter Week 6 of the college football season. The Gamecocks and a hostile environment at Williams-Brice Stadium stand in the way of the Rebels achieving just that.

Can Ole Miss get a much-needed win on Saturday? Here are the final score predictions from the staff Ole Miss On SI.

Cole Thompson, staff writer

Yes, the rebels are on alert. No, one performance against a solid Kentucky defense shouldn’t cause Ole Miss fans to go crazy like the year is ending, but the offense needs to improve. Going 1-of-10 on third-down conversions is a death sentence in college football, so Jaxson Dart has to deliver.

He will. It’s a lot closer than expected, and don’t think for a second that the Rebels can’t lose, but a late touchdown seals it in a nail-biter at Williams-Brice Stadium and keeps the playoff hopes alive.

Score prediction: Ole Miss 28, South Carolina 20

Billy Kuhl, staff writer

The Ole Miss Rebels are coming off a heartbreaking loss in their first SEC game of the season, and they face a tough road matchup against South Carolina. The game should be close, but the Rebels learn from last week and squeak away with a win.

Score prediction: Ole Miss 42, South Carolina 37

Jackson Harris, staff writer

It’s time for the 2024 Ole Miss Rebels. After a disappointing loss to Kentucky, the road trip to Williams-Brice Stadium is a must-win.

Can the offensive line win? Will the Rebels be able to keep up the pace? Can they control the ball effectively? Will we see more of Ulysses Bentley IV?

The Rebels are 1-4 in SEC openers under Lane Kiffin but appear to be bouncing back. Moreover, Ole Miss has had to listen to all the doubters all week.

Score prediction: Ole Miss 27, South Carolina 16

Henry Stuart, staff writer

The Rebels come out on top in a defensive chess match. Both sides will rely heavily on the ground game and go over 100 yards, but Ole Miss will come away with the critical win.

Score prediction: Ole Miss 31, South Carolina 20

John Macon Gillespie, publisher

This is a huge challenge for Ole Miss. We cannot ignore that.

The Rebels need this win to regain some momentum and revive their College Football Playoff hopes. We should learn a lot about this team over the next two weeks, but I do think Ole Miss gets the job done today in a must-win scenario.

Score prediction: Ole Miss 31, South Carolina 21