The College Football Playoff Selection Committee released the final bracket for this year’s playoffs. Ole Miss finished at No. 6 and will host No. 11 American Athletic Conference champion Tulane on Dec. 20 at 2:30 on TNT. This is the first time in the 12-year history of the CFP that Ole Miss has earned a playoff berth.
If the Rebels win in the first round, they will advance to the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans on Jan. 1 at 7:00 on ESPN against Georgia. The Bulldogs dealt Ole Miss their only loss this season with a 43-35 win in an offensive shootout on Oct. 18.
The Ole Miss Rebels previously defeated Tulane 45-10 in week four of the regular season.
Despite the first 11-win regular season in Ole Miss history, former Rebel head coach Lane Kiffin’s departure could have disrupted the Rebel’s playoff berth. However, last Tuesday, the committee did not punish the Rebels for losing their head coach.
The day Kiffin left, Ole Miss Athletics named defensive coordinator Pete Golding as the new permanent head coach.
Ole Miss’ first CFP appearance comes in a season of transition. The program and fan base have an opportunity to see their team on the national stage in a historic first chance.
With the entry to the playoffs, the Rebels have a shot at playing for a national championship, something Ole Miss fans have only dreamed about for decades. If Golding and the Rebels can put Tulane’s season to rest, they would play at Caesars Superdome for the Allstate Sugar Bowl in a rematch against the No. 3 ranked Georgia Bulldogs on New Year’s Day.
Georgia is coming off a dominant 28-7 win against Alabama to claim the SEC title.
If they can advance past Georgia, Ole Miss would take on the winner of the Cotton Bowl (Ohio State, Miami or Texas A&M) in the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 8 in Glendale, Ariz.
