There's One Area Ole Miss Must Improve to Make Another Playoff Run

The one thing the Rebels can fix that could make them even better than this past season.

Oct 25, 2025; Norman, Oklahoma, USA; Ole Miss Rebels linebacker TJ Dottery (6) and Ole Miss Rebels defensive tackle Will Echoles (52) and Ole Miss Rebels cornerback Chris Graves Jr. (32) celebrate after recording a safety during the first half against the Oklahoma Sooners at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Ole Miss Rebels will be ushering in a new era when they take the field this year for the 2026 college football season. Well, it's kind of a new era. First-year head coach Pete Golding cut his head coaching teeth last season in the College Football Playoff. Now, he will get his first crack at the regular season slate.

Most first-year head coaches are normally deep in a rebuild. However, Golding has the chance to lead his Rebels right back to the CFP. Star players like quarterback Trinidad Chambliss and running back Kewan Lacy will be leading the way once again. However, where could the Rebels get better on the field?

Looking back at the 2025 season, there is one area on the field where the Rebels must improve if they want to get over that CFP semifinal hump.

Stopping The Run

Oct 11, 2025; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi Rebels defensive lineman Kam Franklin (5) lines up during the third quarter against the Washington State Cougars at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Rebels were obviously a super talented unit last season. But if you had to pick a weakness on the field, it would be their run defense. Golding's unit allowed the fifth most rushing yards in the SEC last season per game with 149.1 yards, and allowed teams to rush for 2,236 yards total on the year.

The SEC has long been a very physical conference, where the best teams are usually the teams that can run the football. But it wasn't just conference games that showed the Rebels' defensive weakness this past season.

In their CFP semifinal matchup with the Miami Hurricanes, the Rebels allowed 191 rushing yards and allowed two rushing touchdowns. Sure, Golding was thrust into the head coaching spotlight during this time, but it doesn't hide the fact that his unit had a major weakness.

New Additions

Oct 18, 2025; Gainesville, Florida, USA; Florida Gators defensive tackle Michai Boireau (93) celebrates with safety Bryce Thornton (18) after an interception during the second half at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

For the 2026 season, the Rebels are going to lean on a lot of transfer talent on the defensive side of the ball. One name in particular that fans are going to hear a lot about this season is Florida Gators defensive tackle transfer Michai Boireau.

Boireau is six-foot-five, 355 lbs, and is the exact running lane clogger this defense will be looking for this season. It's clear this coaching staff knew that the run defense was a weakness in 2025, and they made a move to make it one of the more underrated units on the team. The Rebels will need to make some stops in the run game if they have playoff dreams.

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