Ole Miss went 10-2 in 2023 and might be the greatest recipient of the SEC’s transfer to ditch departments in 2024. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)
Do not pencil in 2 of Alabama, Georgia and Texas for the 2024 SEC champion video game simply.
The Bulldogs, Crimson Tide and Longhorns will deservedly get in the very first season of the 16-team SEC as the favorites. Either Alabama or Texas might be a safeguarding nationwide champ restoring a star quarterback for another title run, while Georgia’s Carson Beck returns and the Bulldogs when again drawn in the leading recruiting class in the nation.
Ole Miss and Missouri might not be that far behind the leading 3. Both groups are set to play in New Year’s Six Bowls next week after 10-2 seasons, and do not right away dismiss this year as a fluke. Excellent recruiting through December and workable conference schedules next year make the Rebels and Tigers competitors for areas in the very first 12-team playoff.
The Rebels may have the very best schedule of any group in the SEC next year and are profiting of the conference’s transfer to ditch departments. Ole Miss’ only losses this year were to Alabama and Georgia. Next year, Alabama isn’t on the schedule.
Georgia is, however the Bulldogs go to Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Does Oklahoma. A journey to LSU likewise looms, however Kentucky is the just other group on the schedule that ended up with a winning record in 2023.
It’s a slate that has Ole Miss fans imagining 11-1, particularly with the transfers head coach Lane Kiffin has actually signed this offseason.
Kiffin has actually made his sensations about the transfer website understood given that the NCAA loosened its transfer guidelines. Kiffin has actually likewise made it clear that he’s ready to do what’s essential.
Ole Miss has actually signed 5 transfers from Rivals’ leading 100 up until now and the Rebels are viewed as major competitors for Texas A&M DL Walter Nolen. 4 of those leading 100 signees are on defense. The Rebels quit over 30 points 3 times in 2023, consisting of 52 to Georgia in a video game that formally ended Ole Miss’ slim College Football Playoff hopes.
Linemen Princely Umanmielen (Florida) and Tyler Baron (Tennessee) need to strengthen the protective front while pound Chris Paul (Arkansas) is a two-year starter who tallied 14.5 deals with for loss over the previous 2 seasons.
The offense returns mainly undamaged, with QB Jaxson Dart in his 3rd season running Kiffin’s offense and a healthy Quinshon Judkins. After hurrying for over 1,500 lawns as a freshman in 2022, Judkins played in all 12 video games in 2023 in spite of being obstructed by injuries. That displayed in his data; Judkins hurried for 1,052 backyards and balanced simply 4.4 lawns a bring.
The addition of previous South Carolina WR Juice Wells provides Ole Miss a No. 1 target on the outdoors too.