The Ole Miss Rebels Win Out in 2023, Here’s Why

After losing to the Alabama Crimson Tide in their fourth game of the season, it seemed everyone wrote off the Ole Miss Rebels. And understandably so – or is it?

Last season, after the game against Alabama in Oxford, Ole Miss dropped their next two games, and then also lost their bowl game. This capped a four game slide to end the season after starting the season 7-0. For this reason, Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin has been pretty open this year about a focus being on a stronger second half.

In 2021, the Rebels also played the Tide in the fourth game of the season, lost and went on to win 8 of their next 9 to cap the regular season at 10-2.

In 2021, the Rebels returned Matt Corral as their starting quarterback. This year in 2023 it’s no different as quarterback Jaxson Dart is in his second year leading the Rebels.

While Corral split time as a starter with John Rhys Plumlee in 2019, he led the Rebels to a 7-5 record in his first season as full time starter in 2020. Dart led the Rebels to an 8-4 record in his first year as starter, which is one game better than Corral. No one wants to point that out, however. Everyone immediately jumps to the “they lost to Alabama-they must not be good” conclusion and wrote off the Rebels.

Will the Ole Miss Rebels Win Out in 2023?

The Rebels are quietly back to taking care of business since being “wrote off” after their loss to the Tide, returning to Oxford the last two weeks defeating conference opponents LSU and Arkansas.

With tough SEC road games against Auburn, Georgia and the Egg Bowl against Mississippi State remaining, it would be a tall task. That’s the SEC, however. And this years team looks poised to surprise some folks in the way they’re playing. Don’t be surprised if the Rebels end the regular season at 11-1 including shocking the Bulldogs on the road in Athens. They’ll feel like they’re playing with house money in a way most likely being locked out of the SEC championship game regardless with a head-to-head loss against Alabama, which truthfully makes them and second year starting quarterback Jaxson Dart that much more dangerous.