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Ole Miss football had zero opt-outs ahead of Sugar Bowl: "That says a lot about this team."

11by: Jake Thompson12/14/21JakeThompsonOn3
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The saying ‘finish what you started’ is one that is ringing true throughout the Ole Miss football locker room.

Preparation for the Sugar Bowl began on Monday with the Rebels taking a football field for the first time since winning the Egg Bowl on Thanksgiving.

Nearly every player who was available participated.

Opting out of bowl games has become the norm for high-profile players — or just players who feel they have potentially high NFL draft stock — and do not want to risk their future for one more game.

That philosophy is not one that is shared by the Rebels. Following practice on Monday, head coach Lane Kiffin confirmed there were zero players opting out for the Sugar Bowl.

“I assume we won’t have any (opt-outs) based off of people practicing today,” Kiffin said. “That says a lot about this team and these guys. How serious this is, how important it is. You get to go play in the Sugar Bowl with the chance to win the Sugar Bowl and win more games than has ever been done in the history of the school. That’s a pretty cool thing to be a part of.”

Talking about the chance to be a part of something special has been Kiffin’s message through the back half of the regular season as the possibility for 10 wins became possible, as did a potential New Year’s Six berth.

After beating Mississippi State for his second Egg Bowl victory in as many years, Matt Corral said if he was healthy he would be playing in the bowl game.

Corral doubled down on Monday.

During the season, Corral said team leadership came and approached him two weeks before the Egg Bowl to ask if he would continue with the team beyond Thanksgiving.

To Corral, it was a no-brainer and something he was not aware was even in doubt in some people’s minds.

“It never crossed my mind,” Corral said. “It was kind of a curveball because I’d never put any thought into it and never thought that I was not going to play (in the bowl game). When they asked me I was like, ‘Man, probably a lot of people think I’m not going to play on the team.’

“I definitely wouldn’t have been in this position if it wasn’t for them. I’m not just going to leave. Yeah, I know what’s on the other side. I know what’s ahead. God’s got me. I’m not worried about the negative part. If that does happen then, shoot, it wasn’t meant to be. That’s how I live my life and that’s how I go about it. I’m going to give these guys all I’ve got until it’s over.”

No. 8 Ole Miss (10-2) and No. 7 Baylor (11-2) play in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1 at 7:45 p.m. CT.

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