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The Ole Miss Rebels had a successful season last year. The Lane Kiffin-led side had their first-ever 11-win season, and things appear to be on the up for Ole Miss.
However, even after the strong SEC season they had, the Rebels were denied a place in the College Football Playoffs. This is because, at the time, the CFP was only open to four teams.
But this year, the playoff has been expanded to 12 teams, and many are predicting that the Rebels will be able to make it in for the first time in their history. Speaking on the Always College Football podcast, college football analyst Greg McElroy echoed this sentiment.
"10-2 for the Ole Miss Rebels. Probably not in the SEC Championship, but more than likely en route to the College Football Playoff. It’s just a matter of who those losses come to. You look at the schedule... It lays out pretty nicely for Ole Miss." (5:00)
McElroy states that the schedule will have a massive impact on whether the Rebels make the expanded college football playoffs.
The Rebels open their season with four non-conference opponents. Three of these games against opposition far weaker than them will be at home, with a trip to Wake Forest being their only road game in the first five games of the season.
The non-conference games will have no direct impact on the SEC standings, but a poor performance from the Rebels in any one of those games could put a massive dent in their hopes for a spot in the College Football Playoffs.
Which players can help Ole Miss get to the College Football Playoffs?
The Ole Miss Rebels will have many of their roster from their successful 2023 season return to the team for 2024.
One of these players is quarterback Jaxson Dart. Dart had a standout 2023, throwing for 3,364 yards and 23 touchdowns last year. He should have a similar or better season this year, cementing his position as one of the fastest-rising quarterbacks in college football.
Another key part of this team is their strong selection of wide receivers. They are stacked with talent in this position, and this will provide Dart with many targets in order to advance their offense down the field.
However, things aren't all good for the Rebels. They have lost talented running back Quinshon Judkins, who has transferred to the Ohio State Buckeyes. His absence will be felt, at least to begin with. It will be up to Ulysses Bentley IV to fill the gap left by his absence.
Mostly, the Rebels will need at least nine wins to likely be in contention for a playoff spot. With most of the same team last year, they achieved 11 wins, so even a minor step back should be fine for them to achieve their goal.
