Win, Trap, Toss-Up: Which Category Does Each Ole Miss Game Fall Into For 2024?

As many college football fans are counting down the days until kickoff, fall camp for the new-look Ole Miss Rebels inches ever closer. This Ole Miss team has a chance to be one of the best in school history, and the schedule seems mild enough (for SEC standards) for the Rebels to march to the first-ever 12-team playoff.

Lane Kiffin has stated that this is the best roster he has had in Oxford, but stressed during the spring that this group hasn’t proved anything as a team yet.

The Rebels do face Georgia again this season, but they get the Bulldogs at home in what could be the biggest game in school history. With this in mind, let's group the season's games into three categories: wins, trap games, and toss-ups.

Wins

Week 1 -- Furman Paladins

The Paladins are coming off of a great season after they won the SoCon in 2023, but this should be an easy win to start the season for Ole Miss.

Week 2 -- Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders

The Blue Raiders come to Oxford in Week 2 for what should be another win for the Rebels. MTSU is an FBS team, so the competition level should be a little stiffer, but it should go Ole Miss' way to open the year 2-0.

Week 3 -- at Wake Forest Demon Deacons

The first true test of the year comes Week 3 in Winston-Salem as the Rebels head north to take on the Demon Deacons. Wake went 4-8 last year and is looking to return to the days of Sam Hartman, but the Rebels have too much firepower. This should be another win to continue the trend in the beginning of the year.

Week 4 -- Georgia Southern Eagles

The Eagles are known for pulling some upsets (see: Nebraska in 2022 and Florida in 2013). Another interesting caveat of this matchup is Clay Helton versus Lane Kiffin as the two ex-USC head coaches will go at it in Week 4.

But, again, the Rebels have too much strength and grab the win to start 4-0.

Week 5 -- Kentucky Wildcats

Some will say, 'It's the SEC. No game is a guarantee in this league,' and you would be right, but the SEC home opener for the Rebels will be electric. Home-field advantage truly shows in this one as the Ole Miss grabs win No. 5.

Trap Games

Week 6 -- at South Carolina Gamecocks

Williams-Brice Stadium: Ole Miss fans know what this place can do to an elite team. In 2009, the Rebels went into Williams-Brice as a top-five team in the country and left with an L. Shane Beamer could be coaching for his job, and if the Rebels come in sleepwalking, this game has trap written all over it.

Week 10 -- at Arkansas Razorbacks

No analysis need. Fayetteville has been the trap of all traps for the Rebels over the years.

Week 12 -- at Florida Gators

The Gators have been doubted all offseason, and if Billy Napier wants to see another season in Gainesville, he is going to need a marque win. The Swamp will be jumping as usual.

Toss-Up Games

Week 7 -- at LSU Tigers

Death Valley has been a house of horrors for the Rebels as they haven't won in Baton Rouge since Jevon Snead led the Rebels to a win in 2008. Brian Kelly has this game circled, and the Tigers should be favored. Quite ironic as a win in Baton Rouge would add even more momentum towards a CFP berth for Ole Miss.

Week 9 -- Oklahoma Sooners

Jackson Arnold could be a top-five QB in the SEC when the dust settles in 2024, and the Sooners will be looking to leave their mark in their debut season in the league. This will be the Sooners' first-ever trip to Oxford as well, so their fans will travel well. I would lean Ole Miss here because of home-field advantage, but things could get hairy if the Rebels let Arnold take over.

Week 11 -- Georgia Bulldogs

This game is giving major 2014 Alabama vibes as it will be a hostile crowd at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. You know Kiffin has this game circled. The Dawgs will be favored, but the Rebels want some payback after last season's beat down in Athens.

Week 13 -- Mississippi State Bulldogs

You can never really predict this game, and you know Jeff Lebby wants nothing more than to stymie the Rebels' playoff aspirations in his first year in Starkville. On paper, Ole Miss certainly looks to be the better team, but in the Egg Bowl, strange things have happened.