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

OXFORD, MS - SEPTEMBER 8: Scottie Phillips #22 of the Mississippi Rebels out runs the grasp of Michael Elbert #37 of the Southern Illinois Salukis during the first half at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on September 8, 2018 in Oxford, Mississippi. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images) /

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OXFORD, MS – SEPTEMBER 02: Head coach Matt Luke of the Mississippi Rebels takes the field before a game against the South Alabama Jaguars at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on September 2, 2017 in Oxford, Mississippi. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) /

1. Rebels go bowling

Ole Miss barely missed going to a bowl in 2016. Then the Rebels self-imposed a bowl ban in 2017 and then the NCAA gave the program another one-year ban. Ole Miss hasn’t been to a bowl since 2015, but 2019 is the year that streak ends.

The pieces are there, even if they are young, for Ole Miss to be successful this season. No, they will not beat a team like Alabama but they should be competitive against teams that are more at their level.

The non-conference holds the key to bowl eligibility.

The Rebels should be able to beat teams such as Southeastern Louisiana and New Mexico State. They’ll have to beat Memphis to open the season and then they host Pac-12 opponent Cal in late September. Win all four, and then the Rebels only need two SEC games, the most winnable being Arkansas, Missouri and Vanderbilt.

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The path is there, and this is a program in need of something big. A bowl game, no matter where that bowl is located, would be a huge win for Matt Luke and the Ole Miss program.

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