Ole Miss is going to make the College Football Playoff, strengthening the case to keep Lane Kiffin

When he covers the NCAA basketball tournament for CBS, Seth Davis has a bit where he “Sharpies” a team with a commanding lead into the next round of the tournament. In the race to make the 2025 College Football Playoff, we may have our first Sharpie situation.

Barring an absolute calamity, Ole Miss is going to make the CFP. The Rebels went to Norman and beat Oklahoma 34-26. It was the first road win against a ranked SEC foe of the Lane Kiffin era. More importantly, it made Ole Miss 7-1 with the following schedule to go: South Carolina at home, The Citadel at home, Florida at home and at Mississippi State. 

This is the most manageable remaining schedule for any SEC team with playoff aspirations. Plus, Ole Miss probably can lose one of the four and still make the CFP.

This is huge for several reasons. First, it means this can be an every-year — or at least a most-years — thing. Last year’s team was supposed to be the one that broke through. That’s what was so shocking about the losses to Kentucky and at Florida. That’s why Jaxson Dart was so distraught after the loss in Gainesville. Everything had built toward that team, and that team had fallen short. How many years would it take to have a team like that again?

One year, apparently. 

Kiffin reloaded despite losing a first-round QB (Dart) and a first-round defensive tackle (Walter Nolen) and a host of others currently playing on Sundays. He struck gold with a Division II transfer quarterback (Trinidad Chambliss) and with Missouri transfer tailback Kewan Lacy. On Saturday, Princewill Umanmielen — the younger brother of Ole Miss-to-NFL edge rusher Princely Umanmielen — had the following stat line: eight tackles, two tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks. Lest you think only transfers excel, 310-pound defensive tackle Will Echoles, who signed with Ole Miss out of high school in the class of 2024, terrorized Oklahoma’s interior offensive linemen Saturday.

This team may not have as much ready-for-the-NFL talent as last year, but the group plays better together. It hasn’t played a head-scratcher all season. The lone loss was a shootout at Georgia.

In other words, this team can also do damage in the CFP bracket.

That’s important for a lot of reasons. Florida fired Billy Napier six days ago, and instantly, all eyes in Gainesville turned to Oxford. Kiffin is Florida’s first choice. That’s no secret.

In 2010, that would have been depressing news for Ole Miss fans. Back then, Florida’s ceiling was higher. Florida could pay more money than Ole Miss.

That isn’t the case in 2025. Ole Miss can win the SEC this year. Ole Miss will probably make the CFP this year. That means Ole Miss can compete for the national title this year.

That also means the ceiling at Ole Miss is a national title. The ceiling at Florida can only be identical. It can’t be higher.

Ole Miss is also in a financial position to match whatever another suitor will throw at Kiffin. So the Rebels have made the best possible case for keeping Kiffin. That won’t keep Florida or any other school from trying, but the Rebels’ current place in the college football universe is the ultimate defense against those who would try to swipe their coach.

But that’s a conversation for December, because unless the Rebels completely collapse in two games, Ole Miss is going to be playing at least that deep into the calendar.

Kiffin needs to keep his team focused. So he can’t Sharpie the Rebels into the CFP. But we can.

These Rebels, who were supposed to be rebuilding, are going to make the College Football Playoff.