Ole Miss Rebels Climb to No. 9 in AP Poll Despite Bye Week

Oxford, Mississippi: Rebels Move Up in Polls!

Hey there, college football fans! This weekend was a bit of a mixed bag for the Ole Miss Rebels. Even though they didn’t play on Saturday, they still managed to move up one spot in the AP Poll to land at No. 9. Not bad, right?

What Happened?

So, how did Ole Miss improve their ranking without even setting foot on the field? Well, it turns out that the BYU Cougars faced their first regular season loss, getting upset by Kansas at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo. Last week, Ole Miss came off a solid 28-10 victory over then-No. 2 Georgia, which had already put them in a good position.

A Weekend of Upsets

And if that wasn’t enough, Ole Miss wasn’t the only team to feel the impact of some unexpected results. Tennessee, ranked No. 7 entering the week, slipped down to No. 10 after a 31-17 loss to the Bulldogs at Samford Stadium. Despite that defeat, the Bulldogs managed to climb from No. 11 to No. 8. It looks like the SEC is getting spicy this late in the season!

Speaking of spicy, Alabama also made a statement with a massive 52-7 victory over FCS Mercer, maintaining their spot at No. 7. Isn’t it crazy how fast things can change in college football?

Looking Ahead

Now, with only two games left in the regular season, the pressure is on for Ole Miss. They will be heading on the road to face Florida, who currently sits at 5-5 and is starting to heat up just in time. Led by freshman quarterback D.J. Lagway, Florida is coming off a solid 27-16 win over LSU. Lagway completed 50% of his passes for 226 yards and a touchdown in that game, while running back Jaden Baugh had an impressive day, averaging 10.8 yards per carry! Yikes!

After taking on Florida, the Rebels will return home for a highly anticipated Black Friday showdown against Mississippi State in the famous Egg Bowl. With two victories in those matches, Ole Miss is setting their sights on a potential spot in the College Football Playoff.

SEC Dominance

It’s worth mentioning that Ole Miss is just one of the six SEC teams hanging out in the top 25 this week. We’ve got Texas holding strong at No. 3 after their 20-10 road win against Arkansas, and South Carolina bumped up to No. 19 after an exciting 34-30 comeback victory over Missouri. It’s safe to say the SEC is a battleground this season!

The Rankings to Watch

Keep your eyes peeled because the next edition of the College Football Playoff Rankings is set to drop on Tuesday night, and fans are excited to see how all these changes will shake out. With a couple of weeks left, every game counts, and you never know what surprises are in store!

So there you have it, folks! Even without playing, Ole Miss has seen a little bump in their season, and the stakes are getting higher. Pull on your red and blue, grab those popcorns, and get ready for an exciting finish to the season!