Can the Ole Miss Rebels win the SEC and earn a first-round bye in the 2024 College Football Playoff?
The Ole Miss Rebels are expected to compete for a spot in the College Football Playoff this season, but can they earn a first-round bye in the tournament? One publication thinks so.
ESPN recently celebrated “100 Days to College Football” with an article featuring playoff candidates, Heisman candidates, breakout players, and yes, CFP bye candidates. Ten schools were listed as potential byes, and Ole Miss came in fifth in the midfield.
You can view an excerpt from the work below.
5. Ole Miss: As the 2024 season approaches, the potency of “rat poison” grows stronger by the week for Lane Kiffin and the Rebels. Expectations are getting higher and higher, and it's no surprise when you look at the talent on Ole Miss' roster. The schedule is one of the more manageable in the SEC, so it will be interesting to see if the Rebels can make it to the conference championship game.
read more: 'happen! ' ESPN names Ole Miss LB Santalin Perkins as a player to watch in 2024
Ole Miss must be one of this year's top four conference champions to earn a bye. The Rebels have not won an SEC title since 1963, and he has not participated in the SEC Championship Game since its inception in 1992. Of course, the league is no longer divided into divisions, but with Texas and Oklahoma joining his SEC, the road may still be bumpy this fall.
Counterpoint: This Ole Miss roster is expected to be elite, and the Rebels have a slightly more favorable schedule. On paper, Ole Miss's toughest games are a trip to Baton Rouge and home games against Georgia and Oklahoma. The Rebels missed out on games against powerhouses like Texas and Alabama.
If Ole Miss can advance to the SEC title game, it certainly has a chance to win. If they win, they will earn a bye in the playoffs. Other potential candidates for a bye week in the article include Georgia, Ohio State, Texas, Oregon, Utah, Alabama, Kansas, Florida and Clemson.
There's still a lot of football to come and the season hasn't even started yet. Still, Ole Miss' inclusion on this list says a lot about Oxford's expectations for this 2024 season.
