In a season defined by close calls and high stakes, Ole Miss Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin believes his team is just a few crucial plays away from being undefeated and on top of the college football world.
Kiffin has been vocal about how the Rebels are inching toward major national recognition, emphasizing that a handful of avoidable mistakes stand between them and the top spot in the playoff rankings.
“Hey, stop making the mistakes so you can show the country you’re one of the best teams in the country, because you really are when you play well,” Kiffin told the team.
“We’re two plays … not two miracle plays, we’re two very normal plays away from being undefeated and the (No.) 1, 2 or 3 team in the country.”
With a season record of 7-2 and 3-2 in the challenging SEC, Ole Miss has seen two heartbreaking losses this season.
A narrow defeat by Kentucky, where the Rebels lost by a field goal, and an overtime nail-biter against LSU, in which they fell by just three points, have kept the team just shy of an undefeated record.
With a potential College Football Playoff berth on the line, the Rebels are now setting their sights on a high-stakes matchup with Georgia, a game that could dramatically shape their season.
Kiffin and his team are well aware that a victory against Georgia would boost their postseason prospects.
“Walking off the field, we all understand what’s to come next week,” quarterback Jaxson Dart said, referring to the pressure and excitement building for the Rebels’ showdown with Georgia tomorrow.
With two losses already, the clash against the Bulldogs mind as well be viewed as a playoff game in its own right.
In their most recent game, Ole Miss showed impressive dominance against Arkansas, running up the score to win 63-31.
Dart turned in a career-best performance, amassing 515 passing yards and six touchdowns, leading Ole Miss to a staggering 694 yards of total offense.
The victory reignited hope among Ole Miss fans eager for a playoff push, even as Kiffin continues to work on fine-tuning his team.
“We got plenty of time to figure that out. It’s 3 o’clock in the afternoon on Saturday,” Kiffin added. “I hope our players enjoy this. I hope our fans enjoyed us, for a place and a team (Arkansas) that’s given us a lot of problems. I hope they’re happy for a few days. Have some joy, fans.”
Needless to say, Rebs fans did enjoy the impressive win over Arkansas. However, all attention has turned to tomorrow’s showdown against the big bad Georgia Bulldogs.
It helps that the game will be played in Oxford. While Kiffin wanted the game at night, a classic 3:30pm EST kickoff will have to do.
What are your thoughts on Kiffin’s comments? … Do you agree that Ole Miss is that close to being the No. 1 team in the country?
More importantly, what is your prediction for tomorrow’s massive game???
