The Rebels’ 2024 roster is loaded with skill.
Spring football is over. The transfer portal is closed. The calendar reads June. Do you know what that means? College football is almost here. It’s been five months since Michigan defeated Washington in the national championship game in Houston, and we’ve made it through the toughest portion of the summer. We’re well past halfway, and there’s nothing but excitement to get us to the finish line. We are fewer than three months away from the beginning of the collegiate football season, and Ole Miss football is prepared. Rebels fans are excited to watch their squad on the field for the first time.
The 2024 college football season is building up to be one of the most thrilling in a long time, thanks to all of the improvements that will be introduced to the game in 2024. Let us start with the expanded College Football Playoff.
It will be interesting to observe how the inaugural year of the new 12-team College Football Playoff goes. The four-team playoff era is over, and eight additional teams making it will make a significant difference.
First and foremost, college football fans may breathe a little easier throughout the regular season. There is no worse feeling for a fan than watching your team lose a crucial game in the first few weeks of the season, before conference play begins. In the four-team playoff era, it is as humble as it gets. You recognize that one more loss is the final nail in the coffin, and even a single loss (or zero in the case of Florida State) does not ensure success. Now, power five teams that finish 10-2 should be relatively safe, and multiple 9-3 teams will almost certainly make it.
Another significant change is that the season will be longer and more football-focused. The College Football Playoff committee officially announced the schedule for the 2024 playoff, and it promises to be an interesting month. Instead of three playoff games played in one week, we will see 11 games spaced out over the course of a month. This is going to be a lot of fun.
This year’s new conferences will bring yet another significant alteration to the college football landscape. The Pac-12 has disbanded, with the exception of Oregon State and Washington State. USC, UCLA, Oregon, and Washington have joined the Big Ten, while Cal and Stanford have joined the ACC. Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, and Utah are now members of the Big 12.
The Big 12 did lose two teams, though, as Oklahoma and Texas joined the SEC.
Overall, significant changes are coming to college football, which should make for an interesting season. Things will look different, and not everyone will be pleased with the new alterations, but there will be more football and better matches. That is a bonus.
Is this the year that Ole Miss football makes the College Football Playoff?
Ole Miss football has been consistently good since Lane Kiffin took coach, but getting out of the SEC and into the College Football Playoff is no small feat. The Rebels never made the playoffs during the four-team period, but with the playoffs extending to 12 teams, they will have a greater chance. In fact, it is the expectation for this veteran-led team.
Ole Miss has had a strong run in recent years, and with a 12-team playoff format, they would have likely made the playoffs in two of those seasons. For example, the Rebels went 10-2 last season despite defeats to Alabama and Georgia. This season, a CV like that would most certainly be sufficient. It is difficult to win 10 games in the Southeastern Conference.
Lane Kiffin and Ole Miss are anticipated to make a breakthrough this season. They are not required to win at least 11 games, and their schedule was drawn more favorably than other SEC teams’. They do have to play Georgia, but the game is at home, and it is by far their most difficult test of the season. They skip Texas and Alabama, but they host Oklahoma and travel to LSU. Those are difficult matches, but the Rebels can certainly have another 10-2 season or better and make the playoffs.
Ole Miss also has a large number of upperclassmen with experience, which should benefit them greatly. The Rebels’ 22 anticipated starters are 20 upperclassmen and 17 seniors. This is the year for Ole Miss. This team boasts a wealth of experience.
While the Rebels have a lot of senior players who should have huge seasons, they also have some young individuals who want to make an impression. They understand that the spotlight may not be on them right now, but they want to alter that. Here’s one athlete that could have a breakthrough season in 2024.
Cayden Lee, WR
It will be difficult for Cayden Lee to see the field too often next season because there are so many upperclassmen at the WR position who are expected to start, but Lee had a strong year in 2023. Lee was a freshman last season, but he found a way to contribute for the Rebels and had a successful first year.
Cayden Lee ended the season with five receptions for 114 yards and two touchdowns. It wasn’t anything wild, but it was beneficial for him to gain experience and find the end zone a few times.
Cayden Lee should have more opportunities to see the field this season, and he must take advantage of them. He demonstrated his ability to be an explosive threat last season, but with so much quality around him, it will be more difficult for him to stay on the field long enough to have a successful season.
Cayden Lee has skill, however. If he makes major plays in games, as he is capable of doing, the Rebels will have no choice but to play him more frequently. He is capable of great things.
