'Win the Whole Dang Thing!' Greg McElroy High on Ole Miss' 2024 Potential

College football analyst Greg McElroy is investing heavily into the belief that the Ole Miss Rebels can do special things in 2024.

Dec 30, 2023; Atlanta, GA, USA; Mississippi Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin celebrates with quarterback Jaxson Dart (2) after a touchdown against the Penn State Nittany Lions in the second half at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports | Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

The Ole Miss Rebels could very well make the College Football Playoff this season, but could they advance beyond the first couple of rounds?

According to one analyst, yes.

Greg McElroy recently discussed the Rebels on an edition of his podcast Always College Football, and he attempted to put the country on notice that Ole Miss could very well challenge for a national championship this season, something that hasn't been seen in Oxford since the 1960s.

"We need to wake up and get on board with the possibility that Ole Miss could win the whole dang thing," McElroy said. "And I know we can't use bowl games as the ultimate indicator of future success, but I did see an Ole Miss offense that dropped 38 points and 540 yards against the No. 1 defense in the country."

That's the status quo at Ole Miss: elite offense. But its Achilles heel has come in other areas in recent seasons, areas that the Rebels have attempted to address in the transfer portal this offseason.

A new-look offensive and defensive line could be just as key to Ole Miss' postseason run as any of its skill players on offense.

"The problem for Ole Miss for a long time, it's always been that they had weapons," McElroy said, "but on the line of scrimmage, they weren't quite as good as some of the teams that they would play. That now has changed with some of the additions they've made in the portal.

"This was a team last year that was 70th in total defense. That's not going to be the case this year. They're going to probably get to the College Football Playoff, and I think when they get there, they can win some games en route to a possible national championship opportunity."

Fall camp begins for the Rebels on Wednesday and will run until the team's season opener against the FCS Furman Paladins on Aug. 31. Kickoff in that game is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, and it will be televised on SEC Network+.