(QB Jaxson Dart – Getty Images)
Key Players Returning:
QB Jaxson Dart, RB/KR Ulysses Bently IV, WR Tre Harris, WR/PR Jordan Watkins, TE Caden Prieskorn, OC Caleb Warren, OG Jeremy James, OT Jayden Williams, DE Jared Ivey, DT Akelo Stone, NT Zxavian Harris, NT JJ Pegues, LB Khari Coleman, LB Suntarine Perkins, CB Chris Graves, FS John Saunders Jr., SS Trey Washington, PK Caden Davis, and PT Fraser Masin.
Key Players Departing:
RB Quinshon Judkins (Ohio State transfer), WR/KR Dayton Wade, OG Jeremy James, OG Quincy McGhee, DE Cedric Johnson (Bengals R6), DE Isaac Ukwu, LB Ashanti Cistrunk, LB Jeremiah Jean-Baptiste, CB Daijahn Anthony (Bengals R7), CB Deantre Prince (Jaguars R5), CB Zamari Walton, and SS Ladarius Tennison (UCF transfer).
(DT Walter Nolan – ISI Photos/Getty Images)
Top 10 Recruits:
Blue Chip Recruits: DT Walter Nolen (Texas A&M transfer).
4 Star Recruits: OL William Echoles (Houston, Mississippi), EDGE Princely Umanmielen (Florida transfer), DE Kam Franklin (Lake Cormorant, Mississippi), WR Antwane Wells Jr. (South Carolina transfer), WR Deion Smith (Goodman, Mississippi), CB Trey Amos (Alabama transfer), LB Chris Paul Jr. (Arkansas transfer), DE Jeffery Rush (Pascagoula, Mississippi), and ATH Noreel White (Ocean Spring, Mississippi).
2023 Results:
G01 MERCER W 73-7
G02 @ #24 Tulane W 37-20
G03 GEORGIA TECH W 48-23
G04 @ #13 Alabama L 10-24
G05 ARKANSAS W 27-20
G06 #13 LSU W 55-49
G07 @ Auburn W 28-21
G08 VANDERBILT W 33-7
G09 TEXAS A&M W 38-35
G10 @ #2 Georgia L 17-52
G11 UL-MONROE W 35-3
G12 @ Mississippi State W 17-7
BOWL vs. #10 Penn State W 38-25
Team Info:
2023 Overall: 11-2 (2nd in SEC West)
Home: 7-0
Away: 3-2
Neutral: 1-0
SEC: 6-2
Non-SEC: 5-0
Head Coach: Lane Kiffin
Mississippi: 34-15
Career: 95-49
Bowls: 3-4
(RB Ulysses Bentley IV – Ole Miss Athletics)
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Jaxson Dart (233-358, 3364 yards, 65.1%, 9.4 avg., 23 TD, 5 INT)
Rushing: Ulysses Bentley IV (95 car., 540 yards, 5.7 avg., 5 TD)
Receiving: Tre Harris (54 rec., 985 yards, 18.2 avg., 8 TD)
TD’s Scored: Jaxson Dart/Tre Harris (8)
Sacks: Jared Ivey (5.5)
Tackles: Trey Washington (83)
Interceptions: John Saunders Jr./Trey Wahington (3)
Pass Deflections: John Saunders Jr. (5)
Tackles For Loss: Jared Ivey (11.5)
Forced Fumbles: 5 Tied (1)
Kick Returns: Ulysses Bentley IV (14 ret., 272 yards, 19.4 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: Jordan Watkins (12 ret., 114 yards, 9.5 avg., 1 TD)
Kicking: Caden Davis (18-23 fg/fga., 78%, 45-45 xp/xpa., 99 pts.)
Punting: Fraser Masin (48 punts, 2038 yards, 42.5 avg., 15 in20)
Projected Offensive Starters:
QB: 2 Jaxson Dart (SR/TR)
RB: 24 Ulysses Bentley IV (SR/TR)
WR: 9 Tre Harris (RS SR/TR)
WR: 3 Antwane Wells Jr. (RS SR/TR)
WR: 11 Jordan Watkins (SR/TR)
TE: 86 Caden Prieskorn (RS SR/TR)
LT: 61 Diego Pounds (RS SO/TR)
LG: 71 Nate Kalepo (RS SR/TR)
OC: 65 Gerquan Scott (RS SR/TR)
RG: 52 Julius Buelow (RS SR/TR)
RT: 57 Micah Pettus (RS JR)
KR: 4 MIcah Davis (RS SR/TR)
PK: 41 Caden Davis (RS SR/TR)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 15 Jared Ivey (SR/TR)
DT: 2 Walter Nolen (JR/TR)
NT: 89 JJ Pegues (SR/TR)
DE: 1 Princely Umanmielen (SR/TR)
LB: 11 Chris Paul Jr. (RS JR/TR)
LB: 23 Khari Coleman (SR/TR)
NB: 8 Brandon Turnage (RS SR/TR)
CB: 9 Trey Amos (SR/TR)
CB: 3 Isaiah Hamilton (SR/TR)
FS: 5 John Saunders Jr. (SR/TR)
SS: 25 Trey Washington (SR)
PR: 11 Jordan Watkins (SR/TR)
PT: 12 Fraser Masin (SR)
(WR Tre Harris – USA Today Sports)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: A
Running Backs: B
Wide Receivers: C
Offensive Line: A
Defense
Defensive Line: A
Linebackers: B
Secondary: B
Special Teams
Kick Returners: C
Punt Returners: A
Kicking: A
Punting: B
Schedule:
08/31 FURMAN PALADINS | First meeting between schools.
09/07 MIDDLE TENNESSEE BLUE RAIDERS | Ole Miss won (45-17) the only prior meeting between schools in 2001.
09/14 @ Wake Forest Demon Deacons | Ole Miss trails the series 0-2. The Rebels lost (28-30) the last meeting between schools in 2008, and they lost (3-27) the inaugural meeting in 2006.
09/21 GEORGIA SOUTHERN EAGLES | First meeting between schools (2016 contest was vacated).
09/28 KENTUCKY WILDCATS | Ole Miss trails the series 29-14-1. The Rebels lost (22-19) the last meeting between schools in 2022, and their last series win (13-30) dates back to 2011.
10/05 @ South Carolina Gamecocks | Ole Miss leads the series 18-6. The Rebels lost (10-13) the last meeting between schools in 1984.
10/12 @ LSU Tigers | Ole Miss trails the series 42-65-4. The Rebels are 3-7 since 2014, and their last series loss (20-45) was in 2022.
10/26 OKLAHOMA SOONERS | Ole Miss won (27-25) the only prior meeting between schools in 1999.
11/02 @ Arkansas Razorbacks | Ole Miss trails the series 30-38-1. The Rebels are 4-6 since 2014, and their last series loss (27-42) was in 2022.
11/09 GEORGIA BULLDOGS | Ole Miss trails the series 12-33-1. Last season’s 17-52 loss was the first meeting between schools since 2016.
11/23 @ Florida Gators | The series is tied 12-12-1. The Rebels lost (35-51) the prior meeting between schools in 2020, and their last series win (31-30) was in 2008.
11/29 MISSISSIPPI STATE BULLDOGS | Ole Miss leads the series 65-47-6. The Rebels are 6-4 since 2014, and their last series loss (22-24) was in 2022.
Predictions:
Home: 7-0
Away: 5-0
Neutral: 3-1
SEC: 8-0
Non-SEC: 5-2
Overall: 15-1 (2nd in SEC/5th Seed – Eliminated in National Championship)
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