Ole Miss just finished a season that basically rewrote the history books in Oxford. If you’ve spent any time around the Grove lately, you know the vibe has shifted from "happy to be here" to "we expect to win it all." It’s a wild time to be a Rebel. For decades, this program was stuck in a cycle of occasional greatness followed by years of mediocrity. Not anymore.
The most recent ole miss football ranking tells a story of a team that finally figured out how to punch back against the heavyweights. They finished the 2025 campaign ranked No. 6 in the AP Poll and No. 5 in the Coaches Poll. Honestly, those numbers don't even fully capture how close they came to a national title game. After a 13-2 season that included a massive Sugar Bowl win over Georgia, the Rebels are no longer just a "fun" team with a cool coach. They are a legitimate powerhouse.
Where Ole Miss stands in the 2026 landscape
Right now, the college football world is staring at a brand-new reality. Lane Kiffin took the LSU job late in 2025, which usually would’ve sent a program into a tailspin. You’ve seen it before: a big-name coach leaves, the recruits bail, and the ranking plummets. But something weird happened in Oxford. Pete Golding stepped up as the head coach and the roster didn't just stay intact—it actually got stronger.
As of mid-January 2026, the way people view Ole Miss is evolving. They ended the year as the Sugar Bowl champions after taking down Georgia 39-34. That game was a statement. It wasn't a fluke. It was a 60-minute slugfest where the Rebels out-physicaled the Bulldogs. That win alone solidified their spot as a top-tier SEC contender heading into the 2026 preseason cycle.
Current rankings reflect a team that has arrived. While the official preseason polls for 2026 won't drop until August, most "Way-Too-Early" lists have Ole Miss firmly in the top 10, usually hovering around that No. 7 or No. 8 spot. They're returning a massive chunk of their production, including defensive stars like Suntarine Perkins and Kam Franklin.
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The Trinidad Chambliss effect on the rankings
You can't talk about the Rebels' rise without mentioning Trinidad Chambliss. He took over the offense and turned it into a high-octane machine. In the CFP First Round against Tulane, he was practically perfect, leading the team to a 41-10 blowout. The guy has a dual-threat capability that makes defensive coordinators lose sleep.
There was a bit of a scare recently with his eligibility. The NCAA initially denied an extra year, but the school is currently appealing. If Chambliss is back under center in 2026, you can bet that ole miss football ranking is going to jump even higher. Even without him, the room is talented. Austin Simmons has been waiting in the wings, and the staff just landed a massive commitment from flip-target Deuce Knight via the transfer portal.
Stability matters. In the 2025 season, the Rebels averaged 36.9 points per game. That was 10th in the entire country. When you score that much, the poll voters notice. It’s hard to drop a team in the rankings when they’re hanging 40 points on SEC defenses every other week.
Breaking down the 2025 schedule impact
Look at the path they took. It wasn't a "cupcake" schedule. They played 15 games and came out with a 13-2 record. That's the most wins in the history of the school.
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- The Big Wins: They beat No. 4 LSU in the Magnolia Bowl (24-19) and took down No. 13 Oklahoma on the road.
- The Playoff Run: They hammered Tulane in the first round and then won that instant classic Sugar Bowl against Georgia.
- The Only Blips: A narrow regular-season loss at Georgia (35-43) and a heartbreaker in the Fiesta Bowl semifinal against Miami (27-31).
Losing to Miami by four points in a national semifinal? That’s the kind of loss that actually earns respect from the selection committee. It showed the Rebels belonged on the same field as the No. 1 seeds. It’s why they stayed at No. 6 despite the loss.
Recruiting and the future of the Ole Miss ranking
Recruiting used to be the ceiling for this program. They could get some four-stars, maybe a five-star once every three years, but they couldn't stack depth like Alabama or Georgia. That’s changed. The 2026 recruiting class is currently sitting around No. 22 to No. 25 nationally, which might sound low, but that's because they are leaning heavily into the "retention" model.
Pete Golding has done something smarter than just chasing high school kids. He kept the core. Nineteen starters or key contributors have already announced they are returning for 2026. In the era of the transfer portal, that’s almost unheard of. It creates a floor for the team's performance. You know what you're getting.
They also secured Jase Mathews, one of the top wide receivers in the country. Flipping him from Auburn was a massive recruiting win that signaled Ole Miss can still win the "bidding wars" even with a coaching change. When the 2026 preseason ole miss football ranking comes out, these roster moves are going to be the reason they stay in the top 10.
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Why people still doubt the Rebels
There’s always going to be a segment of the media that thinks Ole Miss is a "one-hit wonder." They’ll point to the fact that Lane Kiffin is gone. They'll say the 2025 run was a "perfect storm" of veteran talent that can't be replicated.
Honestly, that’s a fair concern. Losing a coach like Kiffin is a big deal. He brought a specific brand of swagger to Oxford. But the 2025 postseason showed that the system Pete Golding and Charlie Weis Jr. have in place is bigger than one guy. They beat Tulane and Georgia after the Kiffin-to-LSU news broke. If they can win the Sugar Bowl with an interim tag hanging over the staff, they can win with a permanent one.
The defense is the real story here. Under Golding, the Rebels' defense improved from a liability to a weapon. They held Tulane to 10 points in a playoff game. They forced key turnovers against Oklahoma. A team with a top-10 offense and a top-25 defense is always going to be a factor in the rankings.
Actionable insights for fans and bettors
If you're tracking the ole miss football ranking for the upcoming season, there are a few specific things to watch that will dictate where they land:
- The Eligibility Ruling: If Trinidad Chambliss wins his appeal, Ole Miss becomes a top-5 preseason lock. If he doesn't, they likely start around No. 12 as they break in a new QB.
- Spring Portal Window: Golding is still hunting for offensive line depth. A couple of veteran grabs in April could solidify their status as SEC title favorites.
- The LSU Narrative: The matchup against Kiffin and LSU in 2026 will be the most anticipated game in program history. The winner of that game likely secures a top-4 playoff seed.
Ole Miss has moved past the era of moral victories. They are a program that expects to be in the 12-team playoff every single year. The 2025 season proved they have the talent, and the 2026 roster shows they have the staying power. Keep an eye on the transfer portal additions this spring, as that's usually where the Rebels make their biggest jumps in the eyes of the national media.