The Rebels have high expectations for the next season.
It’s an exciting time to be a college football fan, and Ole Miss football supporters are especially looking forward to the season. With the College Football Playoff increased to 12 teams, it appears that the Rebels will finally be able to qualify.
We are almost there. Another long college football offseason is almost over, as the calendar now reads August, with the first games beginning on August 24th. Every college football fan is looking forward to the new season. College football fever is rampant around the country as the season approaches, but this offseason has been a little easier than previous thanks to the new EA Sports NCAA 25 video game, which was released in mid-July.
First and foremost, there will be certain rule changes in college football this year that some fans may dislike. Perhaps the most significant alteration is the insertion of a two-minute warning, similar to that used in the NFL. If you’re like most college football fans, you’re sick of the commercials that run during games. The two-minute warning is just another method for TV networks to add another pause to the action.
There are more changes, though, and while more supporters like them, some still dislike them. College football will look very different next year due to the expansion of the College Football Playoff to 12 teams and league restructuring. What California schools compete in the Atlantic Coast Conference? Yes, things are changing.
Conference realignment has made things appear very different. The power five is no longer a thing, as the Pac-12 is effectively defunct. Except for Oregon State and Washington State, every team moved on to a new conference. These two teams have scheduling affiliations with the Mountain West, but they are not members of the conference.
Every other Pac-12 school had a new home. The Big 12 now includes Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and Arizona State. Oregon, Oregon State, USC, and UCLA have joined the Big Ten. Finally, California and Stanford joined the ACC (which makes a lot of sense).
The SEC represents the other significant change in conference format. Oklahoma and Texas are both leaving the Big 12 to join the SEC. The Big Ten and the SEC both have strong teams, and some believe that two great conferences are on the horizon.
This season, 12 teams will advance to the College Football Playoff, rather than just four. For nearly a month, the College Football Playoff will take place. Some people oppose the large expansion, but there will be more major college football games, which is difficult to be furious about.
Overall, this will be one of the most significant college football seasons in history. The game is evolving, and this marks the beginning of a new age.
The expectation for Ole Miss football is to make the CFP
The Ole Miss football team has enjoyed a lot of success under head coach Lane Kiffin, and the 2024 season appears to be the year they finally cross over the hump and make the College Football Playoff. Last year, the Rebels finished 11-2, including a Peach Bowl victory over Penn State (basically the Big Ten’s Ole Miss). Another regular season like last year, and the Rebels will be in the College Football Playoff.
With the College Football Playoff growing to 12 teams, Ole Miss has a great opportunity to make their first appearance this season. The expansion is extremely beneficial, but even without it, this is the Rebels’ greatest chance to win the SEC title and the CFP under Lane Kiffin.
Ole Miss football returns a wealth of talent this season, including quarterback Jaxson Dart, while Alabama no longer has Nick Saban. Saban’s departure opens the door for other SEC clubs to enjoy a run of success. Is the Crimson Tide going away? Probably not, but it’s realistic to assume they’ll take a step back after losing one of the most powerful college football coaches in history.
Ole Miss football has the potential for a successful season, but their schedule will make it difficult. Here’s one thing that could keep the Rebels from reaching their SEC and College Football Playoff aspirations.
Defense
The main concern for Ole Miss football is their defense, which isn’t a big deal, which is excellent news for the Rebels. Overall, this is a really talented football team, and it performed admirably for the majority of the season. However, the offensive is stacked, and it does not appear that they will have a lot of issues this season. As a result, the defense is of greater consequence than the offense.
Last season, the Rebels played well on defense in the most of their games, but there were a few that were worrying, and if those games occur again this season, it might mean the difference between making the College Football Playoff and missing out. Last year, the Rebels allowed 49 points to LSU and 52 to Georgia. Those are the types of performances that cannot occur, especially if the Rebels want to challenge for a national championship.
Ole Miss football defeated LSU in a shootout last year, but they ran against a Georgia squad that could shut down their offense, resulting in a 52-17 defeat. If the Rebels want to compete in their most difficult games this season, their defense must improve. They will face teams that will make it difficult to score many points, and the defense must keep up its half of the bargain.
Finally, Ole Miss football fans should be pleased with the team’s position as the season begins. This looks like a very solid football team that should fight for the SEC title, and it would be shocking if they did not make the College Football Playoff.
