Ole Miss Climbs to No. 5 in Coaches Poll After Egg Bowl Win, Texas A&M Loss
Ole Miss is surging at just the right time. After a convincing 38-19 win over in-state rival Mississippi State in the Egg Bowl, the Rebels have climbed to No. 5 in the latest US LBM Coaches Poll, released November 30.
It’s a well-earned bump, and it comes with some help from around the country-most notably Texas A&M’s loss to Texas, which dropped the Aggies from No. 3 to No. 7.
Now sitting at 11-1 overall and 7-1 in SEC play, Ole Miss is knocking on the door of its first-ever College Football Playoff appearance. And make no mistake, this team has the résumé to back it up. The Rebels have been steadily building momentum all season, and their Egg Bowl performance only added fuel to the fire.
The win over Mississippi State wasn’t just another rivalry victory-it was a statement. Ole Miss controlled the game from start to finish, showcasing the kind of balance and execution that playoff contenders are built on. The offense moved the ball efficiently, and the defense held firm when it mattered, limiting a Mississippi State team that had been playing better down the stretch.
But while the Rebels’ playoff hopes are rising, there’s a cloud of uncertainty hanging over the program. Reports from November 30 indicate that head coach Lane Kiffin is expected to take over as LSU’s next head coach. If that move materializes, it would mark a seismic shift in the SEC landscape-and leave Ole Miss at a critical crossroads just as the program is reaching new heights.
Regardless of what happens on the coaching front, the Rebels have positioned themselves as one of the top teams in the country heading into the postseason. The latest Coaches Poll reflects that, with Ole Miss leapfrogging into the top five behind Ohio State, Indiana, Georgia, and Oregon.
Here’s how the top of the US LBM Coaches Poll looks after Week 14:
- Ohio State
- Indiana
- Georgia
- Oregon
- Ole Miss
- Texas Tech
- Texas A&M
- Oklahoma
- Notre Dame
- Alabama
The rest of the top 25 features a mix of familiar names and rising programs, including BYU, Vanderbilt, Miami, and a surging Texas squad that now sits at No. 14 after its win over the Aggies.
The AP Top 25 poll has yet to be released, but all eyes will be on how the playoff committee responds to this weekend’s shakeups. With one week left before the final selections, Ole Miss is right where it needs to be: in the thick of the conversation, with momentum on its side.
The Rebels took care of business in the Egg Bowl. Now, they just have to wait-and hope that their body of work is enough to earn a shot at college football’s biggest stage.