Can Ole Miss Rebels make it to the playoffs this season?
On Saturday, the Rebels lost to LSU in a 29-27 overtime game in Baton Rouge. The loss puts Ole Miss's record to 5-2, hardly ideal just 7 weeks into the season, especially after the aspirations head coach Lane Kiffin had for this fall.
Kiffin planned on going "all in" this season and making it to the playoffs. Pre-season, it seemed so doable, almost likely for two reasons. First was their favorable schedule with fewer ranked opponents on it. Second was the 12-team playoffs model implemented from this year. Their roster and talent-laden recruitment also made them perfect for the playoffs.
But this was before the Rebels sorely lost against the Kentucky Wildcats in Week 5, and now against LSU. Kiffin and Co. are poised to face the Georgia Bulldogs in Week 10, a team that has obliterated every team this season except Alabama.
If the Ole Miss Rebels lose against Georgia, given the 12-team playoff scenario, their chances of making it to the finals will be extremely difficult as Spencer Ostrow of Athlon Sports explains. "As of this season, the College Football Playoff now includes 12 teams, and it's not likely that a three-loss team will make it."
ESPN says about the Big 12 playoff seeding scenario that "The five highest-ranked conference champions and the next seven highest-ranked teams will earn a spot in the 12-team bracket."
Speaking of rankings, Ole Miss is tumbling and will fall further after this week's loss. If they lose again, a three-loss team would hardly make it to the top of the rankings, making their chances even slimmer to get to the playoffs by either the top-five seed way or the ranking way.
The Rebels QB Jaxon Dart knows this too well. This is precisely why he has just one aim in mind for the rest of the season: "We must win out for the rest of the season. It is our only option," Dart said, per the Clarion Ledger.
Talks of Lane Kiffin switching to Florida are also on the rise
On the other hand, Florida Gators fans have made it a personal mission to replace Billy Napier with Kiffin. Ole Miss's piling losses seem to bring that dream closer to reality.
Even when the Rebels lost to the Wildcats, fans flooded social media asking Kiffin to switch to Florida. They followed suit in this loss too.
Athlon Sports' Spencer Ostrow explained how fans are again flooding X with sincere requests for Kiffin to switch. Looks like all these fans will have to patiently wait for a few more weeks...
