Ole Miss will enter the 2026 season in familiar territory near the top of the national conversation, landing at No. 9 in Monday’s initial Associated Press Top 25 poll.
That puts the Rebels fourth among SEC teams in the first rankings of the year, behind No. 3 Georgia, No.
5 Texas and No. 8 Texas A&M.
Earlier this month, Ole Miss was also slotted at No. 10 in the US LBM Coaches Poll.
The ranking comes on the heels of a historic 2025 run for the Rebels, who finished No. 3 in the final AP poll after Indiana was crowned national champion in Miami. That mark gave Ole Miss its highest final AP ranking since the 1962 season.
Last year’s team set a standard the program had never reached before. Ole Miss finished with 13 wins, the most in school history, and picked up two victories in the College Football Playoffs. The Rebels also posted 11 regular-season wins, another program record through 12 games in 2025.
All of that came during a season that carried plenty of noise off the field, too. Lane Kiffin’s future hovered over the program before he ultimately left to become LSU’s new head coach right after the regular season ended. Ole Miss then elevated defensive coordinator Pete Golding to the full-time job.
Golding’s first shot as a head coach couldn’t have gone much better at the start. The Rebels rolled past Tulane in the first round of the playoffs and then knocked off Georgia in a dramatic Sugar Bowl upset. Their season ended in painful fashion, though, with a late loss to the Miami Hurricanes in the Fiesta Bowl national semifinals.
Now Golding is preparing for his first full season in charge, and he’ll do it with a top-10 team.
Ole Miss opens the 2026 season on Sunday, September 6 against Louisville at 6:30 p.m. CT on ABC at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee.
In Other News...
Ole Miss Has One Line Question That Could Define Trinidad Chambliss
Ole Miss has spent most of fall camp answering questions, but the line in front of Trinidad Chambliss and Kewan Lacy still has a few moving parts. The interior looks like a real strength with returning pieces Brycen Sanders, Delano Townsend and Patrick Kutas, and that should give the Rebels some stability where it matters most. Still, for an offense trying to take shape under Pete Golding, the front five is more than a depth chart exercise - it is the foundation for how far the group can go this season.
The uncertainty is centered on the edge, where right tackle is still being sorted out with Carius Curne, Tommy Kinsler IV and Connor Howes all in the mix. A decision there will carry weight beyond one job title, because the fit in front of Chambliss will help determine how cleanly the offense can function. Golding and Chambliss have both made clear that the line's play will be a defining factor, and the final answer on that spot is shaping up to be one of camp's most important calls. [Read more 🡒]
Caleb Odom May Decide How Dangerous Ole Miss Stays In 2026
Ole Miss is headed toward a very different-looking passing game in 2026, with several of its most familiar offensive targets either off to the NFL or gone via transfer. Deuce Alexander is the lone returning starter among the wide receivers and tight ends, which makes the next wave of pass-catchers especially important as the Rebels reset around new offensive coordinator John David Baker.
Caleb Odom could end up being one of the biggest swing pieces in that transition. The Rebels are expected to keep leaning on tight ends as a real part of the offense, and that puts Odom in position to matter quickly if he can grow into a larger role. For a team trying to stay dangerous through another personnel turnover, how much he gives them may go a long way toward shaping the ceiling of the passing attack. [Read more 🡒]
Ole Miss Faces A Big Defensive Test After Losing Princewill Umanmielen
Replacing Princewill Umanmielen is going to take more than one player, and Ole Miss is already leaning into a committee approach on the edge. Defensive coordinator Bryan Brown said the Rebels will spread those snaps around, with transfers Blake Purchase and Jonathan Maldonado among the pieces expected to help steady a spot that suddenly looks a lot different.
Brown also pointed to a growing leadership core on that side of the ball, naming Will Echoles, Keaton Thomas and Luke Ferrelli as players finding their voice. The timing matters with senior Suntarine Perkins earning the 2026 Chucky Mullins Courage Award, a recognition that reflects his leadership and perseverance and gives the defense a veteran presence to build around as it sorts out the next step. [Read more 🡒]