Football
Somehow it’s hard to believe Ole Miss will take Florida lightly
Lane Kiffin knows not playing in SEC title game gives Rebels best shot at playing for national championship
OXFORD, Miss. — All No. 9 Ole Miss can do at this point of the season is keep winning. Don’t expect them to go up much regardless of what happens at Florida on Saturday, either.
Unless something completely crazy happens. Maybe Oklahoma can rise from the ash heap of a disappointing season to upset Alabama, but nobody is predicting that. Considering the Crimson Tide are the only two-loss team ranked above them right now, the Rebels could benefit from that and maybe get to No. 7.
The biggest realization for a lot of teams this week is Ole Miss is almost guaranteed to not be playing in the SEC Championship game. While some fans view that as a target goal every year, things have changed with the playoff that Lane Kiffin finds himself in a situation the potential downside with a loss isn’t worth the risk.
Even with a loss, the number of two-loss teams trying to squeeze in, plus a Group of 5 automatic bid means there are going to be some pretty good teams not having a chance to play for a title. Right now, Georgia and Tennessee are hovering around that bubble.
The Rebels can’t lose, a point Kiffin has made repeatedly for a couple of weeks now. All Ole Miss really can do is win the next two games and let things sort themselves out. It will be interesting to see how Indiana would drop if they lose to Ohio State on Saturday by a big number.
Right now, the favorites to be playing in the SEC title game are Texas and Alabama. A loss by the Crimson Tide in that game quite possibly could eliminate them from the playoffs because it would their third one. While the screaming from that section of the country will be loud, it will be entertaining to sit back and watch Finebaum every day.
For a change, Ole Miss fans can relax not making that SEC title game for the first time. Nothing to agonize about. Kiffin knows it and has said as much.
It may not matter much longer anyway. The expansion across the SEC and Big Ten probably isn’t done as they are forming a partnership to control major college sports. The Rebels just want to stay included in that mix. It’s about the money.
| Sat, Aug 31 |  | vs Furman | W, 76-0 |
| Sat, Sep 7 |  | vs Middle Tennessee | W, 52-3 |
| Sat, Sep 14 |  | @ Wake Forest | W, 40-6 |
| Sat, Sep 21 |  | vs Georgia Southern | W, 52-13 |
| Sat, Sep 28 |  | vs Kentucky | L, 20-17 |
| Sat, Oct 5 |  | @ South Carolina | W, 27-3 |
| Sat, Oct 12 |  | vs LSU | L, 29-26 (2 OT) |
| Sat, Oct 26 |  | vs Oklahoma | W, 26-14 |
| Sat, Nov 2 |  | @ Arkansas | W, 63-35 |
| Sat, Nov 16 |  | vs Georgia | W, 28-10 |
| Sat, Nov 23 |  | @ Florida | 11:00 AM ABC or ESPN |
| Sat, Nov 30 |  | vs Mississippi State | 2:30 PM ESPN or ABC |