There are plenty of reasons to be down on Ole Miss heading into 2025, but, still, there will be an overarching question that will linger as we continue through this offseason: Could this be the year Lane Kiffin leads the Ole Miss Rebels to their first College Football Playoff (CFP) appearance?
It's easy to write-off Ole Miss as we head into the 2025 season. The Rebels will be without QB Jaxson Dart and a whole host of talented playmakers that they'll have to replace. Even though the Transfer Portal haul was good, there are still questions about this group and it's clear — at least in this writer's mind — that the Rebels will be a step down from last year.
That being said, there is one thing that is working in Lane Kiffin's favor: His draw in the SEC.
It all comes down to a manageable 2025 schedule for Ole Miss
The 2025 schedule appears more navigable compared to previous seasons, potentially paving the way for a CFP berth:
The Rebels will host all four non-conference opponents at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium: Georgia State on August 30, Tulane on September 20, Washington State on October 11, and The Citadel on November 8. Essentially, they've guaranteed four wins with their out-of-conference schedule.
But, what it really comes down to are the SEC matchups.
Ole Miss's conference schedule includes away games at Kentucky, Georgia, Oklahoma, and Mississippi State, with home games against Arkansas, LSU, South Carolina, and Florida. Notably, the Rebels avoid facing Alabama, Texas, Tennessee, and Texas A&M this season, which could give them their best chance for a strong conference record.
Think about Texas A&M in 2024 and how the Aggies made a run, actually atop the SEC standings for quite a while and finishing with a 5-3 record in conference play. Even though Texas A&M wasn't really all that capable or worthy of a playoff bid, they were in the conversation until the last couple of weeks of the season, when they were upset by Auburn and then followed that up with a loss to Texas to close out November.
Outside of the Georgia game, Ole Miss gets its toughest games at home. Oklahoma in Norman won't be easy, while South Carolina, LSU, and Florida will present challenges in Oxford, but you've got think that the Rebels will be Vegas favorites in most of their games. If they can find a way to go 6-2 in conference play, they're guaranteed to have a 10-2 record and that will be enough to get them into the 12-team College Football Playoff.