Josh Pate: Lane Kiffin 'Can Legitimately Sell Competing For a National Championship' With Ole Miss Rebels
The Ole Miss Rebels have a claim to three football national championships in school history, none of which have come in the modern era of college football.
In 1959, 1960 and 1962, Johnny Vaught's Rebels were awarded
part of the national championship according to at least one poll. The sport now, however, has a more streamlined process for determining the king of college football, namely the College Football Playoff.
Can Ole Miss realistically compete for a national title in today's college football landscape? One analyst believes the answer is "yes."
Recently on The Late Kick With Josh Pate, the host stated that Lane Kiffin can "legitimately sell" the idea of competing for a national championship to recruits in today's environment, pointing to another 10-2 season in 2023 as evidence to that fact.
"Lane Kiffin can legitimately sell competing for a national championship [at Ole Miss]," Pate said. "Do you realize that? Lane Kiffin has another 10-2 season under his belt, and they've got a returning this and a returning that, and they've got proven production."
Oct 28, 2023; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin (right) talks with quarterback Jaxson Dart (2) during warm ups prior to the game against the Vanderbilt Commodores at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports
© Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports
Perhaps he's right. Since the term "New Year's Six" was coined in 2014, Ole Miss has been to three bowl games in that category with a fourth appearance coming this season. Kiffin has certainly elevated the Rebels program since he arrived in Oxford four years ago, and with the expansion of the CFP to 12 teams beginning in 2024, the odds of reaching the title game will only increase.
If the 12-team playoff had been in effect this season, the Rebels would already be in the field with a No. 11 ranking.
Still, Ole Miss has an opportunity to create more school history this month with its first 11-win season in program history, should it win its Peach Bowl matchup against the Penn State Nittany Lions.
That game is scheduled for Dec. 30 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Kickoff is set for 11 a.m. CT, and the game will be televised on ESPN.
