Ole Miss' Biggest Upset Opportunity Next Season Is Very Clear

The Rebels face tight competition throughout 2026, but their biggest opportunity for an upset comes mid-season.

Jan 8, 2026; Glendale, AZ, USA; Mississippi Rebels head coach Pete Golding against the Miami Hurricanes during the 2026 Fiesta Bowl and semifinal game of the College Football Playoff at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Ole Miss Rebels are preparing for a season where they will be seen as candidates for a national championship run, but before they get there, they face a relatively tough season.

In head coach Pete Golding's first year leading the team, the Rebels anticipate competition against several potential contenders and underdog teams that could turn favored games into sneaky upsets.

To the Rebels' benefit, Ole Miss will be playing seven of its regular season games at home in Oxford, Mississippi. The Rebels will host some of the toughest teams on their schedule and have no lengthy road stretches, playing two away games in a row at the most. However, in the Rebels' biggest opportunity at a meaningful upset, that advantage will be taken away as they hit the road in October.

Ole Miss Can Challenge The Texas Longhorns Come Late October

Ole Miss Rebels quarterback Trinidad Chambliss (6) warms up before their Vrbo Fiesta Bowl matchup against the Miami Hurricanes at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, on Jan. 8, 2026. | Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Despite all the hype that the SEC-opening game against LSU will bring early in the season, Ole Miss' biggest upset opportunity comes well after its face-off against the Tigers in September. Traveling to the Forty Acres, the Rebels will battle the Texas Longhorns on their home turf on Oct. 24.

Texas is facing similar circumstances as Ole Miss, playing seven home games throughout the regular season. The difference is that the Longhorns are ranked as one of the likeliest teams to make the SEC Championship in 2026, alongside the Georgia Bulldogs. Upsetting Texas in its home turf also means breaking the Longhorns' 40-game home win streak, and with such an important win so late in the season, it could put Ole Miss up for conference title contention in Texas' place.

After a lackluster 2025 season that failed to see a playoff run, Texas is desperate for an "all-in" year and is offensively volatile with an upgraded roster, thanks to the transfer portal. The Longhorns will heavily test the Rebels' defensive depth as quarterback Arch Manning and wide receiver Cam Coleman look to slice their way into the end zone.

By the time October rolls around, both Ole Miss and Texas should have found their individual offensive tempos, resulting in what will be a shoot-out game. The deciding factor will be determined by how much stamina either team has left by the time they play in late October, with Ole Miss still needing to save some strength for later games against Georgia and Oklahoma.

Texas, however, will be facing its own demons early, with a season-opener against Ohio State, the Red River Rivalry and a game against Florida to get through before hosting Ole Miss.

With both teams needing to conserve depth and maintain offensive consistency, the Rebels have a good chance of upsetting the Longhorns in order to pull off their biggest win of the season. Depending on how the early season goes, the game could be a deciding factor for both teams' chances at a postseason run.

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