Lane Kiffin and the Ole Miss Rebels continue navigating a critical offseason in Oxford with the program retooling the roster ahead of the 2025 season.
With record-setting quarterback Jaxson Dart heading to the New York Giants in the 2025 NFL Draft, the Rebels will have a new signal-caller under center.
Redshirt-sophomore Austin Simmons is the new QB1 in Oxford with expectations rising in the Magnolia State.
Ole Miss may have a new-look roster, but it hasn’t stopped college football analysts from believing the program can make history.
The Rebels are yet to reach the College Football Playoff, and despite Dart departing the program, CBS Sports believe the program is “poised to make its 2025 CFP debut.”
Why can the Rebels get over the hump and punch their ticket to the College Football Playoff this upcoming season?
CBS Sports’ Take: “Lane Kiffin’s work in the transfer portal helped him take Ole Miss to essentially unprecedented levels. His portal-heavy approach carries more risk this year, but he earned the benefit of the doubt when he led the Rebels to the playoff bubble with a squad built largely upon veteran newcomers.
“Early returns on first-year starting quarterback Austin Simmons have been great, so if he keeps the offense humming and the talent acquisition efforts pay dividends again, Ole Miss should expect to be right back within striking distance.”
The Rebels aren’t the only SEC program that CBS Sports believes can make their debut in 2025 with the South Carolina Gamecocks, Florida Gators and Auburn Tigers among the programs that can make that jump.
Why the Florida Gators?
“Florida sure looked like it turned a corner last November. Consecutive wins over ranked opponents, a four-game winning streak to close the year and a freshman-year breakout from DJ Lagway could not have come at a more opportune time for Billy Napier.
“If the last month of 2024 was a harbinger of success to come, the Gators coach could go from the hot seat to the playoff in just over a calendar year. It does not take much imagination to envision a breakthrough season, especially since Lagway has a talented receiving corps and one of college football’s strongest offensive lines at his side.”
The 2025 season continues inching closer with Kiffin and Co. set to debut a new-look roster in Oxford this fall.
Ole Miss Football Target, Top-10 Quarterback in America Earns Elite 11 Invite
Ole Miss Basketball Beats Out North Carolina Tar Heels, UCONN for Top-50 Prospect
Ole Miss Women’s Basketball Lands in Early Top-25, Named ‘Offseason Winners’
Follow Zack Nagy on Twitter: @znagy20 and Ole Miss Rebels On SI: @OleMissOnSI for all coverage surrounding the Ole Miss program.
This post was originally published on this site be sure to check out more of their content.
