Ole Miss Football: 5 post-spring bold predictions for 2019

Head coach Matt Luke’s program is finally out of the cloud of the NCAA and he looks poised to make Ole Miss football relevant in the SEC once again.

The 2018 season started as a promising one for Ole Miss. The Rebels began the year with a big win over Texas Tech and looked able to win at least six games. However, that never materialized, and the Rebels limped to a 5-7 record, losing their last five games in a row.

Now 2019 brings the reset button with two new coordinators in Rich Rodriguez and Mike MacIntyre. Gone are known commodities in receivers AJ Brown and DK Metcalf on offense. In comes Matt Corral who played in four games last year, now the replacement for departed star quarterback Jordan Ta’amu.

Even amongst all the changes, there is still reason for optimism.

Most importantly for Ole Miss, however, is that the program is finally free of NCAA sanctions and can once again compete for a bowl game. This now finally feels like Matt Luke’s program, but he and his staff and the players will have to work hard to keep it that way.

The offense is young but there is talent; the defense has experienced players but they’ve never been apart of a competent defensive unit. In short, the offense has to grow up quick, and MacIntyre — the new defensive coordinator — has to whip his group into shape sooner than later.

The pieces are there for Ole Miss to go bowling for the first time since its Sugar Bowl win in the 2015 season, but a lot of luck will have to go the Rebels’ way.

Some of that luck the Rebels will need is within these bold predictions, let’s dig in.