Ole Miss Football, Oklahoma Sooners and Ohio State Buckeyes Headline CFP Projections

Lane Kiffin and Co. remain firmly in the College Football Playoff race, land in recent ESPN projections.

Oct 11, 2025; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi Rebels quarterback Trinidad Chambliss (6) hands the ball off to running back Logan Diggs (22) during the first quarter against the Washington State Cougars at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Lane Kiffin and the Ole Miss Rebels have reached the midway point of the 2025 season after capturing the program's sixth consecutive victory on Saturday at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.

No. 5 Ole Miss remains unbeaten through the first half of the season with Kiffin and Co. gearing up for a challenging stretch to close out October.

The Rebels will hit the road to Athens (Ga.) in Week 8 for a matchup against the Georgia Bulldogs followed by a second consecutive SEC clash against the Oklahoma Sooners.

But Kiffin and the Rebels will need more moving forward after narrowly escaping an upset scare in Week 7 against Washington State.

“We’re ranked fourth, but we played like the 84th-ranked team in the country throughout that game. So quit reading the rat poison and make plays. Don’t make a penalty by hitting the quarterback in the head when we were about to get off the field and finish drives.”

Courtesy of Ole Miss Rebels Football.

After reaching the midway point of the 2025 season, ESPN has revealed the network's College Football Playoff projections. Where did the Rebels land?

ESPN College Football Playoff bracket projection

The Projected First-Round Byes

No. 1 Ohio State (Big Ten champ)
No. 2 Miami (ACC champ)
No. 3 Indiana
No. 4 Texas A&M (SEC champ)

First-Round Matchups

No. 12  South Florida (American champ) at No. 5 Alabama
No. 11 LSU at No. 6 Ole Miss
No. 10 Oklahoma at No. 7 Georgia
No. 9 Texas Tech (Big 12 champ) at No. 8 Oregon

Courtesy of Ole Miss Rebels Football.

Quarterfinal Matchups

No. 12 South Florida/No. 5 Alabama winner vs. No. 4 Texas A&M
No. 11 LSU/No. 6 Ole Miss winner vs. No. 3 Indiana
No. 10 Oklahoma/No. 7 Georgia winner vs. No. 2 Miami
No. 9 Texas Tech/No. 8 Oregon winner vs. No. 1 Ohio State

Trinidad Chambliss' Take: Rebels Must Execute Come SEC Play

“I feel like we didn’t execute on offense,” Chambliss said. “We were driving the whole game and moving the ball, but we just couldn’t finish in the red zone. I didn’t play as well as I should as a quarterback, and that’s a lot on me moving the ball, executing on third downs, making the right choices, and making plays.”

More Ole Miss News:

Ole Miss Football's Lane Kiffin Reacts to Oklahoma Sooners as Annual SEC Rival

Ole Miss Football, Oklahoma Sooners and Nebraska Cornhuskers Heating Up In Recruiting

Alabama Head Coach Betting Odds: Ole Miss Football's Lane Kiffin Listed as a Favorite

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