Ole Miss Rebels Make ESPN Post Spring Top 25 Rankings
OXFORD, Miss. -- With spring ball now in the books for NCAA teams, ESPN released an updated Top 25 college football power rankings on Wednesday, taking into account performances from spring games. The Ole Miss Rebels made the cut after putting on a show in their annual Grove Bowl, scoring 105 total points.
The Rebels come in at No. 22 in the post-spring power rankings, joining five other programs from the Southeastern Conference. Here is what ESPN makes of the Rebels heading into next season:
22. Ole Miss Rebels
Previous ranking: 20
2022 record: 8-5, 4-4 SEC
Expected returning starters: 8 offense, 5 defense, 1 special teams
Post-spring outlook: Few FBS teams had as much turnover as the Rebels, who underwent dramatic roster and coaching staff changes after they dropped their final four games in 2022. Coach Lane Kiffin brought in six new assistant coaches, including former Alabama defensive coordinator Pete Golding, who will try to improve a unit that allowed 34.5 points per game during the late-season swoon. Quarterback Jaxson Dart probably remains the starter heading into the summer, after battling transfers Spencer Sanders (Oklahoma State) and Walker Howard (LSU) in the spring. Linebacker Monty Montgomery (Louisville), cornerback Zamari Walton (Georgia Tech) and safety John Saunders Jr. (Miami, Ohio) look like key additions on defense.
Ole Miss drops two spots in ESPN's second rendition of its 2023 way-too-early Top 25. The Rebels were one of the more exciting teams to watch during spring ball thanks to the three-way quarterback competition created by Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin at the start of the offseason. Kiffin also reloaded his defense with big-ticket transfers and a veteran assistant in Pete Golding, the previous defensive coordinator for the Alabama Crimson Tide.
This Ole Miss team looks good on paper, unfortunately, we will have to wait until the fall to see if they can put it together.
The entire Top 25 rankings can be found below.
- Georgia Bulldogs
- Michigan Wolverines
- Florida State Seminoles
- USC Trojans
- Ohio State Buckeyes
- Alabama Crimson Tide
- LSU Tigers
- Penn State Nittany Lions
- Clemson Tigers
- Texas Longhorns
- Tennessee Volunteers
- Washington Huskies
- Notre Dame Fighting Irish
- Utah Utes
- Oregon Ducks
- TCU Horned Frogs
- Oregon State Beavers
- Kansas State Wildcats
- Tulane Green Wave
- Texas Tech Red Raiders
- North Carolina Tarheels
- Ole Miss Rebels
- UTSA Roadrunners
- Kentucky Wildcats
- Wisconsin Badgers
You can follow Ben King on Twitter at @BKing_2023.
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