Kiffin Not Over-Reacting: Loss Drops Ole Miss Out of Top 10

It probably shouldn’t be that surprising to anyone after Sunday’s colege polls that Ole Miss dropped several notches. That’s what happens in an ugly 20-17 loss to Kentucky.

The Rebels are outside the Top 10 for the first time this season. In the coaches poll, Ole Miss is No. 11, down six spots, which is what they fell in the AP media poll from No. 6 to No. 12.

They weren’t the only ones, despite that being little consolation to Rebels fans. Don’t think Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin is worried one bit about the rankings in September. He’s more interested in going to South Carolina than a September ranking.

Alabama Crimson Tide wide receiver Ryan Williams (2) breaks a tackle by Georgia Bulldogs defensive back KJ Bolden (4) to score a touchdown that put Alabama ahead in the fourth quarter at Bryant-Denny Stadium. |: Gary Cosby Jr.-Imagn Images

In a wild game over in Tuscaloosa, Alabama blew a 28-point lead in the second quarter to Georgia. It took a pass in the last couple of minutes from Jalen Milroe to Ryan Williams to grab the lead back from the Bulldogs’ furious second-half comeback.

That wasn’t all.

Alabama’s Zabien Brown had to pick off a pass in the end zone at the end for a 41-34 final.

The Tide moved from fourth to No. 2 after the win while Georgia fell

Following Saturday’s Ole Miss 20-17 upset loss to Kentucky, the Rebels are now outside the top-10 for the first time in 2024. In Sunday’s updated Coaches Poll, the Rebels checked in at No. 11, dropping down six spots from last week’s ranking. In the AP Poll, the Rebels dropped six spots to No. 12.

What Ole Miss’ loss showed, though, is the strength of the SEC overall. Four of the Top 5 teams are there, with Texas (1), Alabama (2), Tennessee (4) and Georgia (5). The Longhorns had to pull away from Mississippi State in the second half for a 35-13 win.

Kentucky’s win over the Rebels was its first in Oxford since 1978. During the process, the Wildcats controlled time of possession, pulled off a fourth-and-7 desperation heave to set up a go-ahead touchdown with three minutes left and held on in the end thanks to a missed 48-yard field goal by Caden Davis.

The SEC is becoming a conference where any team on any week can be a problem.

The loss snapped Ole Miss’ 10-game winning streak in Vaught-Hemingway. It was just the third home loss in over three seasons.

“Beyond disappointing day,” Kiffin said to begin his postgame press conference. “We start fast, play really sloppy and bad in the second quarter. Then we start playing better on both sides in the third quarter.”

It’s acceptable for a coach to wallow around in a loss right after it happened. Those postgame press conferences are necessary, but probably not particularly forgiving to coaches having to deal with a raw loss.

“Very discouraging, disappointing, especially it being a morning game, you have all day to sit around and deal with that,” Kiffin said. “I’m not going to overreact in a loss, like I don’t over-react to a tight win or a tight loss.”

The Rebels go on the road next week and will face South Carolina on Saturday. Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m. on ESPN. Fans can also listen on the Ole Miss Radio Network.