The outlying country precincts haven’t checked in yet. so it’s still too early to tell if college football is better when Ole Miss is a legitimate contender.

I don’t really remember the nationwide outcry begging for the Rebels to get their act together.

But here these Rebels are 7-0, ranked No. 7 in the country and heading to Tiger Stadium for a big game with LSU on Saturday under the … well, it’s actually an afternoon affair, not a spooky night with the moonlight straining through the fog.

I do know one thing: LSU football is better, can be more fun at least, when Ole Miss is relevant.

But now that Ole Miss has to be taken seriously, it’s up to the Tigers to hold up their end of the bargain.

No need to really delve into the history of the Forgotten Rivalry, with Billy Cannon and Archie Manning and all those crew-cut nostalgia days.

Suffice it say, there was a time in a different age when it was THE GAME on each other’s schedule.

These days, probably not so much.

But it could be again — assuming LSU gets really good again under Brian Kelly.

You’re probably thinking LSU’s 45-35 win over Florida last week took care of that.

Easy mistake to make. I was fooled for a moment, too.

But after video booth review, the replay judges have ruled that Florida, despite the name recognition, wasn’t any good in the first place.

The Tigers’ offensive awakening, which looked so encouraging at the time, apparently came against a historically bad defense.

So they still have something to prove and can do it against Ole Miss.

And, yes, it seems a little odd that a Florida win can be discounted while awaiting further tests against an Ole Miss.

But, or so the revisionist thinking goes, all the Florida win did was offer encouragement that Kelly indeed has LSU headed back in the right direction — trying to catch up with Ole Miss.

The Rebels’ schedule, and thus their No. 7 ranking, is a little suspect — Kentucky is the big skin on the wall — but that seems to be getting brushed under the table.

With a victory, this so-so LSU team, left for dead in Tennessee’s jet stream, would wake up Sunday tied for first place in the SEC West.

The Tigers would likely get back in the rankings, where they could look No. 25 Tulane in the eye again.

An Ole Miss victory would keep the Rebels alone in first place with a clear shot at their first-ever appearance the SEC championship game.

Both have yet to play Alabama, so please hold your applause until all results have been announced.

But, sketchy or not, the game means something again, at least theoretically.

That’s a good thing.

You have what is often regarded as the top two tailgating schools in the nation going at it, ladle to iron skillet.

What I have to say about Oxford’s version is that “The Grove,” its famed candelabras, fine china and white-linen tablecloths not withstanding, is somewhat overrated. But The Square in neighboring downtown punches way above its weight and is the place to be on game day.

Why can’t it be a meaningful rivalry again beyond the parking lot?

The Tigers did their level best with a force-fed arranged rivalry with Arkansas, but it never took off.

Now it appears Texas A&M is the next big thing.

Alabama is the big game, but it seems doubtful that will be an annual event for LSU once the SEC gets done overexpanding.

Ole Miss, it says here, might even have staying power under Lane Kiffin and there’s no doubt in my mind that Kelly is getting LSU back on track.

History, of which there’s plenty in this series (most of it Jurassic), is on LSU’s side.

The last time Ole Miss went to Baton Rouge undefeated, 2014, the Rebels were ranked No. 3. It produced one of Les Miles’ most famous quotes when he proclaimed Tiger Stadium “the place where “opponents’ dreams come to die.”

LSU 10, Ole Miss 7

In fact, this will be the sixth time that the Rebels have come to Tiger Stadium unbeaten.

LSU is 4-1 in those games.

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Scooter Hobbs covers LSU athletics. Email him at scooter.hobbs@americanpress.com