Jason Pellerin won our Ole Miss QB election... barely

Talk about a close race.

We’ll post the results on Wednesday morning.

The Patterson platform

- Juco All-American

1. Patterson is very likely to be the starter next year. Given that Kelly is no longer playing, this could be a great opportunity for Patterson to get experience in low pressure but high opportunity games in preparation for 2017.

2. If he's better than Pellerin, which we can't be sure of, he gives the best chance to win the remaining three games. Sure, this season is a disaster, but getting to bowl eligibility would help stem the momentum lost. With A&M, Vandy, and MSU remaining, it's not as if any one of those is unbeatable with good quarterback play.

3. If he's good in practice, again something we don't know, he could propel an otherwise boring recruiting class to being at least decent. If players see a freshman quarterback who is promising, maybe they're more willing to sign in February.

4. You also have to consider what Patterson has in his mind. Redshirting him made sense when Kelly was healthy. Now, maybe Patterson really WANTS to play. If that's the case, and he's good, why not play him to show your confidence in him?

5. While he could likely benefit the team "more" as a fifth-year senior, he may not stick around that long, and even if he does, hopefully the backup quarterback situation will look better by that time. Hopefully at that point if he's leaving early, there's someone good waiting to take over.

The Pellerin platform

- Whiskey Wednesday

1. Keeping Pellerin on the team is an absolute must for next year. Allowing him to finish out the season gives him a deserved leg up in experience heading into the offseason. Freeze and Dan Werner never seemed to show full confidence in Ryan Buchanan or Devante Kincade, and that may have hastened their decisions to leave the program. With nothing much to lose, it would be interesting to see Pellerin with the full confidence of the coaching staff behind him in these final three games. If they don't, he may very well see the writing on the wall, leaving Ole Miss with a disastrous QB situation next year.

2. After starting the same five guys for most of the year, Matt Luke's hobbled, makeshift offensive line was a total disaster for the first quarter against Georgia Southern. While they improved rapidly throughout the game, Texas A&M presents a much more dangerous situation for whomever this line is protecting. I'd trust the huge and sturdy Pellerin over Patterson.

3. People talk about Shea leaving in three years. While he may be an amazing college prospect, his pro potential is still unknown. How many undersized quarterbacks without blazing speed have left for the NFL after three years?

4. While Shea may show promise from his very first series, it's also possible that he struggles in a tough road situation with a dejected, injured team around him. People make knee-jerk judgements, and if Patterson isn't an immediate star, the recruiting leverage that he provides may lose some of its luster.