Ole Miss Rebels Listed Among Teams Poised to Breakout in 2023
OXFORD, Miss. -- After being dealt the most arduous schedule in the Southeastern Conference and slim odds to win the SEC title in 2023, it is easy for fans of the Ole Miss Rebels to believe the team could be in for a world of hurt this fall. But what if I told you they were on the verge of breaking out?
247Sports recently released a list of the eight programs viewed as breakout candidates entering the 2023 season, and Ole Miss earned a spot in the club.
The other seven teams included are the Maryland Terrapins, Iowa Hawkeyes, Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Wisconsin Badgers, Texas A&M Aggies, Oklahoma Sooners, and Texas Longhorns. Teams were selected based on expectations that they can either make a run at a conference championship, experience immense improvement or come through on lofty expectations after falling short in recent seasons.
The Rebels certainly fit in that last category after finishing their 2022-23 campaign with an overall record of 8-5 after starting off 7-0 and achieving their first-ever 10-win regular season the year before. Here is the excerpt on Ole Miss being a breakout candidate in 2023.
Ole Miss has one of the best quarterback rooms in the nation, boasting three quarterbacks that could start at the Power Five level. Having such versatility at the position is rare and it's a room that features former Oklahoma State dual-threat standout Spencer Sanders. The Rebels recently added UTSA transfer wide receiver Zakhari Franklin, who makes an already potent-offense more dangerous. To top it off, Ole Miss returns Quinshon Judkins after a strong freshman campaign that makes him a first-team All-America candidate.
While the three-way quarterback competition at Ole Miss is still underway, whoever comes out of the battle victorious will have a talented offense at his disposal. Highlighted by the reigning SEC Freshman of the Year, Ole Miss running back Quinshon Judkins, the sophomore tailback is once again poised to lead the conference in rushing. The Ole Miss receiving corp has also gone through a revamp since losing Jonathan Mingo and Malik Heath to the NFL.
Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin recruited former transfer receiver Tre Harris (Louisiana Tech) in December who showed a knack for getting into the end zone last season, hauling in 10 touchdown receptions. The Rebels also earned the commitment of former UTSA Roadrunners receiver Zakhari Franklin on Saturday - arguably the best player still available in the transfer portal. Franklin is the Roadrunners' all-time receiving yards leader and is coming off back-to-back 1,000-yard campaigns.
The Ole Miss defense also got some juice this offseason. On top of the numerous defensive transfers recruited, Kiffin also brought in former Alabama Crimson Tide defensive coordinator Pete Golding to take Ole Miss' defense to the level he is trying to reach. While they have a difficult road ahead of them this fall, the Rebels will not be a team to overlook.
You can follow Ben King on Twitter at @BKing_2023.
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