What Could a Deep Playoff Run Do For the Future of Ole Miss Football?

What could be in store for this program if the Ole Miss Rebels reach or exceed expectations in what will be the most anticipated season in recent memory?

It's an interesting question to ponder as a playoff berth could help bolster the momentum that has been building in coach Lane Kiffin's tenure in Oxford, but a deep run could send ripples that would change the trajectory of how the nation thinks about Ole Miss football.

What things about the program might change? Could Ole Miss reclaim its grasp on the region as it did in the late '50s and early '60s? Could the Rebels finally gain the respect they deserve and shake the perception that they can't compete at the highest level?

Let's take a look at three things that could happen if the Rebels made a deep run in the first 12-team playoff era.

1. Recruiting Success

The Rebels have done an excellent job managing and using the transfer portal in the past couple of cycles, but high school recruiting has been ranked in the mid-20s year-in and year-out. If Ole Miss was to show the country that it is legit this year, recruiting could be on the upswing along with more elite portal additions. At this moment, the Rebels have the 56th-ranked class in the country according to 247.

2. National Powerhouse

In 2010, the Alabama Crimson Tide beat Texas in a great BCS Championship Game that kickstarted what became one of the greatest dynasties in college football history. In 2007, the Tide went 7-6 in Nick Saban's first year, dropping a game to ULM.

Kiffin has built this Rebels program with the tools he learned while on Saban's staff and has applied the "Pro Mindset" mentality when it comes to handling the day-to-day operations in the Manning Center. Players like wide receivers Ayden Williams and Cayden Lee are great examples of this mindset, understanding that in the NFL, you can't just pick up and leave when you aren't getting as many snaps as you would like.

A deep playoff run would validate this approach that the Rebels have bought into and could turn this Ole Miss program into a mainstay within the elite of the sport.

3. NIL Boom

Director Walker Jones and The Grove Collective have been early adopters in this new NIL era of college sports, finding ways to compete with the big boys who have more resources and deeper pockets.

A deep playoff run could see a new influx of capital from Ole Miss fans and businesses who want to hop on the hype train. The March to Victory campaign was a great example of a new and fun way to spark fan engagement and boost the Rebels' NIL movement. A version of this could be a great idea if Ole Miss was able to exceed expectations in 2024.

While it is fun to speculate and predict the future, one thing remains: the Rebels need to take care of business and get over the hump in places like Tiger Stadium and Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium, two places where very good Ole Miss squads in the past have seen postseason hopes wash down the drain.

The 2024 season is inching closer every day, and with June in the rearview mirror, July brings on peak talking season and a showdown in Dallas in the Octagon that is SEC Media Days.