It was a golden opportunity.
Josh Pate Names Prominent SEC Program That Might Have Blown Its Best Chance originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The 2024 College Football Playoff featured six teams making the playoff for the first time in program history.
Despite considerable hype for the season, the Ole Miss Rebels were not among the top teams. The Rebels entered the season having secured three consecutive top-two transfer portal classes.
They finished the season ranked No. 5 in ESPN's Football Power Index (FPI) rankings. Ole Miss had a successful season, finishing 10-3, marking the third time in the last four seasons it has achieved 10 or more wins. However, this strong performance was still not enough to qualify for the playoffs.
On "Josh Pate's College Football Show," the analyst expressed concern that Ole Miss missed a significant opportunity.
"I'm asking myself, could they lose four of those games?" Pate said. "I think they could. So, it's not something I'm betting on. I don't feel that strongly about it. But, I slightly lean worse than 9-3. I hope that's not the case because at that point, you ask, 'Did Ole Miss miss its best shot to do something in the playoff?'"
Last season, the Rebels had a remarkable team, but several key players will not be returning for the upcoming season. The most significant loss is quarterback Jaxson Dart, who posted impressive statistics with 4,279 passing yards, 29 touchdowns and only six interceptions, completing 69.3% of his passes. His exceptional performance led to his selection in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft by the New York Giants.
The defense experienced significant challenges this season, returning only 45% of its production, which ranks 104th in the nation. This follows a successful season, during which they were ranked 14th in total defense, second in rush defense, first in sacks and second in scoring defense.
A key player on the defense was defensive tackle Walter Nolen, who finished with 14 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks before being selected in the first round of the NFL draft by the Arizona Cardinals. In addition, Ole Miss will be missing five of its top six sack leaders from last season.
Ole Miss faces a significant challenge in replacing key losses. The Rebels are scheduled to begin their season at home against the Georgia State Panthers on Aug. 30 at 7:45 p.m. ET.
Related: Paul Finebaum Names SEC Team With a 'Real Shot' of Making the Playoffs for the First Time
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 17, 2025, where it first appeared.
Category: General Sports
