Expert Analysts Reveal Where Ole Miss Rebels, Texas A&M Aggies Should Land in CFP

No. 6 Ole Miss (11-1, 7-1 SEC) will await the program's College Football Playoff seed after navigating a historic 2025 campaign in Oxford.

In what has emerged as a chaotic stretch in the Magnolia State, the Rebels will find out their fate on Sunday in the "Selection Show" with the program eyeing a first-round home matchup at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.

But the Rebels' seed - and opportunity to host - remains up in the air with the departure of Lane Kiffin after accepting the head coaching job with the LSU Tigers.

Once Kiffin made the move to depart Oxford, it was decided by Ole Miss officials that he would not be able to coach in the postseason.

“I was hoping to complete a historic six season run with this year’s team by leading Ole Miss through the playoffs, capitalizing on the team’s incredible success and their commitment to finish strong, and investing everything into a playoff run with guardrails in place to protect the program in any areas of concern," Kiffin said in a statement on Sunday.

“My request to do so was denied by Keith Carter despite the team also asking him to allow me to keep coaching them so they could better maintain their high level of performance. Unfortunately, that means Friday’s Egg Bowl was my last game coaching the Rebels.”

LSU Tigers Football. — Dec 1, 2025; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; LSU president Wade Rousse, left, LSU new head coach Lane Kiffin and LSU athletic director Verge Ausberry stand together at South Stadium Club at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images | Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

Now, could the College Football Playoff selection committee drop the Rebels in the rankings due to Kiffin being out?

ESPN's Rece Davis and Fox Sports' Joel Klatt weighed in...

Rece Davis' Thoughts:

“This is different from Florida State. We saw Florida State without Jordan Travis, and it wasn’t playoff-worthy. I’m sorry to stoke that up again. We haven’t seen Ole Miss,” Davis said.

“If Ole Miss had two games where they couldn’t get a first down, you know, and Lane left before the SEC Championship, had they made it? Okay. I’m good with it then. Now, it seems like a little – it seems a bridge too far in terms of speculation for me with the playoff.”

“It’s in the criteria,” Davis said. “I mean, now, Hunter Yurachek said initially to me that they wouldn’t have a data point to evaluate, but then later in the conference call with more reporters, he backed off of that to a degree to – the short answer is, yes, I think so. I think they will.

"But, I mean, I do think you kind of have to wait and see. I’m not advocating for it. I hope they don’t do it. I hope they ranked them based on what’s happened.”

Joel Klatt's Perspective:

“Texas A&M drops all the way to No. 7,” Klatt said. “I think that is a massive deal. A huge deal, behind Ole Miss. I don’t know if this was a sympathy thing for Ole Miss. I’m not sure. Interesting week to give Ole Miss the benefit of the doubt over A&M. They lose their head coach.”

“The resume between A&M and Ole Miss is similar. A&M does have an edge in strength of schedule. But this is why it’s such a big deal. That difference in the six-seven line. I mean, look at that. A&M’s strength of schedule is vastly better,” Klatt said. “But I believe the two wins over Top 25 are carrying the day here. In particular, the Oklahoma victory and Oklahoma is obviously in the Playoff.”

More Ole Miss News:

Ole Miss Makes Final Decision on Lane Kiffin Coaching CFP As LSU Tigers Pick Up Steam

Potential Lane Kiffin Replacements Revealed As Future With Ole Miss 'In Doubt'

Tony Vitello Pokes Fun at Ole Miss Football's Lane Kiffin in Goodbye to Tennessee

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