If Lane Kiffin and the Ole Miss Rebels come out of Death Valley with a victory, they are legit.
Not to say they are not New Year’s Six worthy again, but a road win in Death Valley over division rival LSU will do wonders for the national perception of Lane Kiffin’s Ole Miss Rebels this season.
After hitting the transfer portal harder than pretty much any program of note this past offseason, Ole Miss finds itself at an undefeated 7-0 and the No. 7 team in the country. Though they have conquered everyone on their schedule so far, the only redeeming win the Rebels have is a narrow one at home over a top-25 Kentucky team a few weeks back. Their best is still in front of them…
However, Ole Miss going into Baton Rouge in a big spot and coming out victorious at 8-0 will signify to the rest of the college football world that the Rebels are coming and cannot be ignored.
Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss can grab college football world’s attention beating LSU
Through the first seven weeks of the season, Ole Miss is one of four SEC teams ranked inside of the top 10 and one of only three that are still undefeated. Although they still have to play them head-to-head, for the time being, Ole Miss is the projected favorite to come out of the SEC West to make it to Atlanta, and not Alabama. Of course, the Rebels have never made it that far … ever!
Yes, wiping the floor with the North Avenue Trade School Bumble Bees at Historic Mark Richt Field at Bobby Dodd Stadium sure was swell, but Ole Miss has never won the SEC West before since the conference went to divisional format in 1992 to include Arkansas and South Carolina. However, no matter how you slice it, you cannot look past a team with an 8-0 record at this stage of the year.
Oh, it heats up alright for Ole Miss down the stretch, as the Rebels still have to play Texas A&M in College Station, host Alabama, go to Arkansas and the host arch rival Mississippi State in what should be one of the greatest Egg Bowls in all of our lifetimes. Even if Ole Miss were to drop the Alabama game at home, this a team every bit capable of going 11-1 if it beats LSU on Saturday.
What has happened so far this season for Ole Miss is the Rebels have been overlooked by national powers Alabama and Georgia in-conference, as well as Tennessee’s return to prominence under second-year head coach Josh Heupel. The good news for Ole Miss is it has Kiffin, the mercurial prankster the SEC never knew it needed. Kiffin is the college football equivalent of Tom DeLonge.
Ole Miss went 10-2 a year ago and reached the Sugar Bowl in what was Kiffin’s second season in Oxford. While everybody saw how talented that team was behind Matt Corral under center, it may be time to turn our collective attention to USC transfer Jaxson Dart. LSU may not be playing up to LSU standards under Brian Kelly just yet, but a win on the road would be huge for the USC transfer.
If Ole Miss gets that win in Death Valley, then we really need to think about the Rebels in Atlanta.
For more College Football news, analysis, opinion and unique coverage by FanSided, including Heisman Trophy and College Football Playoff rankings, be sure to bookmark these pages.
