One Defeat No Longer Means a Ruined Season

Most teams have their season ruined by a bad loss. Usually means more setbacks to come and a mediocre bowl game.

Then there’s this fallout: Disinterested fans. Less booster donations. Coaches on the hot seat. Players flocking to the transfer portal.

That’s what happens when most teams lose to an inferior foe that was more than a two-touchdown underdog.

But Ole Miss is not like most teams.

The players are talented and will prove to be resilient. The coach is smart, innovative, cocky enough to bring in 5-star recruits, and not looking elsewhere. Fans will be fans, of course, but the Rebel rooters are faithful more than most.

Plus, this is not like most seasons. This is the first year of a 12-team playoff — took long enough to get there, huh! — where the best in big-boy college football square off to decide who’s best. The Rebels figure to be among that delighted dozen invited to play for the national championship.

Still, that doesn’t mean the rest of the country didn’t notice Saturday’s embarrassing 20-17 loss at The Vaught.

On Monday morning’s edition of the Dan Patrick Show, Ole Miss and coach Lane Kiffin were mentioned prominently in the opening segment.

“If there wasn’t a 12-team playoff, Lane Kiffin might be (take a long pause here) not as vocal” as he usually is, said the sharp and forthright Patrick, who then called Kiffin “snarky” but quickly said he likes that about the Rebels coach.

He ain’t wrong. The Rebels have a lot of work to do, and much to accomplish before they feel good about their chance of reaching the playoffs. Good news is a natty is still within their grasp. Wouldn’t have been true only a year ago when it was just a four-team playoff for the crown.

More bad publicity: The Rebels were in contention on Patrick’s podcast for “worst loss of the weekend” along with the New York Jets, Philadelphia Eagles, Buffalo Bills and Georgia. The Jets, 10-9 losers at home to the Broncos, were running away with the poll shortly after the vote began.

In the show’s second segment, after hearing early poll results, Patrick said: “Kentucky is better than a lot of people thought.” Amen to that. The Wildcats took Georgia to the wire before losing.

Ole Miss figures to rebound from Saturday’s setback to that scrappy Kentucky team. The Rebels have enough talent to beat anyone — still true, right? — and now they have the proverbial chip on their shoulder to prove that.

Two road games are up next, at South Carolina and No. 13 LSU before a midseason bye to fully regroup before the stretch run.

Here’s the great news: the schedule is favorable. The Rebels don’t have to play SEC powerhouses Alabama, Texas and Tennessee, ranked Nos. 1, 2 and 4 in the AP poll.

Bad news: any SEC schedule is a rough ride. Ole Miss still has to face seven more SEC teams, four of those on the road.

Good news: No. 19 Oklahoma travels to Oxford on October 26, as does No. 5 Georgia on November 9. The Vaught is a tough place to walk out of with a win, the Kentucky result notwithstanding.

Also coming to town will be that ragtag bunch from Starkville. Give MSU credit for trailing Texas just 14-6 at halftime in Austin but the Bullpups lost 35-13 to fall to 1-4, a record that is not unexpected.

That woeful start is one problem Ole Miss and its fans don’t have to worry about. Now the Rebels are focused on the Gamecocks, who nearly upset LSU in Columbia and are well-rested after an early-season bye.

The Rebels are a 9.5-point favorite but will surely play like they’re the disrespected underdog. The game will be at 2:30 p.m. Saturday on ESPN.