Ole Miss preseason On3 bowl projection: Rebels to face ACC foe

With the preseason over, Ole Miss is now readying for game week as the Rebels welcome Georgia State to Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. On Monday, On3’s Brett McMurphy released his bowl projections for On3.

McMurphy has the Rebels facing Pitt, an ACC foe, on Jan. 2 in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl in Charlotte, N.C.

A lot of whether or not McMurphy’s projection will come to fruition or not will lie with the new-look Ole Miss offense. Austin Simmons takes over for Jaxson Dart at quarterback and the Rebels have to expect some growing pains.

“I think the first skilled unit has done really well, I think we’re developing depth behind that,” head coach Lane Kiffin said last week. “I think the line, like I said, with injuries has been a work in progress. You’ve got guys that haven’t played here a lot, you’ve got some guys coming in that have played other places, but they’ve still got to play together.”

College Football Playoff projection

McMurphy didn’t have Ole Miss making the College Football Playoff this season, but did reveal his field in the story as well.

First Round (Dec. 19-20)
No. 12 Boise State at No. 5 Clemson
No. 9 Miami at No. 8 Alabama
No. 11 Utah at No. 6 Texas
No. 10 Michigan at No. 7 Oregon

Quarterfinals
Cotton Bowl (Dec. 31)
AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas
No. 4 Ohio State vs. No. 5 Clemson

Orange Bowl (Jan. 1, 2026)
Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla.
No. 1 Notre Dame vs. 8 Alabama

Rose Bowl (January 1, 2026)
Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, Calif.
No. 2 Penn State vs. No. 7 Oregon

Sugar Bowl (Jan. 1, 2026)
Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, La.
No. 3 Georgia vs. No. 6 Texas

Semifinals
Fiesta Bowl (Jan. 8, 2026)
State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz.
No. 4 Ohio State vs. No. 8 Alabama

Peach Bowl (Jan. 8, 2026)
Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Ga.
No. 2 Penn State vs. No. 3 Georgia

National Championship (Jan. 19, 2026)
Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla.
No. 3 Georgia vs. No. 4 Ohio State (Georgia winner)

Ole Miss opens the season Saturday at 6:45 p.m. CT against Georgia State on SEC Network.