How Ole Miss Matches Up Against the SEC's Playoff Contenders

Pressure is different this season at Ole Miss. They’re not a team trying to sneak up on anybody anymore. Following their appearance in the semifinals of the College Football Playoff last year, the Rebels come into 2026 as an expected competitor – but with a new man running things.

Head coach Pete Golding, who comes in as a first-time head coach after spending his entire career as a defensive coordinator, takes control of a team ready to go back to the postseason.

Why Ole Miss' success hinges on Kewan Lacy

The Rebels return one of the SEC’s best rushing offenses with Lacy, along with an experienced offensive line, and quarterback Trinidad Chambliss provides Ole Miss with their own dynamic quarterback threat. This should be more than enough to withstand any head coaching changes, but who do the Rebels match up against weekly?

Georgia will set the standard. The Bulldogs come into the season as the pre-season favorite to repeat as the SEC champion, and their game against Ole Miss is one of the biggest match-ups of the season. A victory over Georgia would mean much more for Golding than most other games on his schedule.

Texas on the road will be Ole Miss' biggest test

Texas coac — Jul 23, 2026; Tampa, FL, USA; Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian speaks to the press during SEC Football Kickoff Media Day at the Tampa Marriott. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It’s the ultimate nightmare road game in Austin. Texas is projected as the No. 1 team in the SEC with Arch Manning heading into his second year as their starting quarterback, while Ole Miss has to play this tough Texas team in front of a crowd that will be greater than 100,000 people, which is their toughest place to play all year long.

LSU creates the excitement. The return of Lane Kiffin's first game to Oxford as the head coach at LSU is circled in red on every sports fan's calendar. And it isn't just because of the nostalgic appeal; Kiffin at LSU has put together a defense under Blake Baker that has previously been among the top-15, along with quarterback transfer Sam Leavitt, which may make the Tigers.

Texas A&M and Alabama cap off an intimidating schedule. Both schools start the season favored to make the playoffs, but Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer is praying that healthy quarterback Keelon Russell opens up his offense.

The toughest challenge might just be the schedule. The Ole Miss Rebels start off conference play with LSU, followed by three out of four games on the road, ending up in Austin, and will face seven to eight ranked teams in the preseason Top 25 with the nine-game SEC schedule format.

If they survive October, Ole Miss will be back in the playoff race. Fail, and this year will become more about developing as a team under a new head coach.

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