Lane Kiffin and the Rebels managed to conclude one of the most incredible seasons in recent memory with a 38-25 win over Penn State. While success in any bowl game is no small feat, this win feels particularly important as it brings Ole Miss’s record in the postseason to 2-2 under Lane Kiffin and is likely to provide crucial momentum as the Rebels look to be major contenders heading into next season.
Any match this consequential is worth taking a closer look at, so here are some of the most important Takeaways from Ole Miss’s final victory of the 2023 season.
This one of the best offenses in all of college football
While a claim like this might seem a bit of a stretch, it is fun to consider and not as unreasonable as many might imagine. This season The Rebels clocked in an average of 34.8 points per game with one of the most balanced offensive attacks in the SEC, while simultaneously ranking 3rd in the conference in yards per game.
Some games in particular showcased Ole Miss’s capabilities to keep up with the most premier offenses, particularly the Rebel’s matchup against LSU, where QB Jaxson Dart led his team to outscore Heisman winner Jaden Daniels 55-49.
Sure, there are some concerns about the offensive woes the Rebel’s endured during their two most important games of the season, as Alabama and Georgia both held Ole Miss under 20 points, but those concerns cannot deny the massive improvement the Rebels made on the offensive side of the ball this season.
With key players hopefully returning, it is likely that Ole Miss will make even more strides as an offense next season.
Next man up
One of the best features of this year’s roster has been the ability to rely on just about anybody to make plays when needed. One game, WR Dayton Wade goes off for a career night, then the next RB Quinshon Judkins carries the Rebels to victory, while another the defense keeps Ole Miss in the game on an off night for the offense.
This is what championship teams are made of, and the Rebels have showcased this kind of Playoff caliber cohesion all season. In their bowl game, it was a surprise career night from TE Caden Prieskorn and a somewhat typical 100+ yard game for WR Tre Harris that ignited the Ole Miss offense and helped secure the win.
Ole Miss is able to avoid being a one-dimensional team, calling on every aspect of the roster on any given Saturday. This type of play is what wins the most important games, and the Rebels hope to be playing in even more crucial postseason matches next season.
The Rebels can win when it matters
Postseason games in college football are strange. Whether on a roll or in a slump, teams stop play for weeks before coming back for usually one game that happens to be the capstone on the entire season’s effort. The better the team, the longer the wait until the season’s end and the more important it becomes to maintain team chemistry and level of play during the off weeks.
Ole Miss, especially under Lane Kiffin, was previously on a losing 2 season losing streak in bowl games, and there were important questions to be answered about the Rebel’s ability to prepare for such matches.
Today’s win did much to put those questions to bed and could be an important building block for any college football playoff hopes the Rebels will bring into next year.
