Poll Position: Ole Miss makes jump into Top 10 after knocking off Kentucky

11by:Jake Thompson10/02/22

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There will be plenty of rat poison for Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin to keep away from this players this week.

After beating then-No. 7 Kentucky 22-19 on Saturday Ole Miss remained undefeated and started off Southeastern Conference play in a big way. But now, the fruits come from the labors and the Rebels suddenly find themselves as one of the top teams in the country.

In the latest rankings from the USA Today AFCA Coaches Poll and the Associated Press Poll released on Sunday, Ole Miss made moves up into the Top-10 in each.

Ole Miss (5-0, 1-0 SEC) moved up two spots to No. 9 in the latest Coaches Poll while the Rebels jumped up five spots to No. 9 in the AP Poll.

Kentucky (4-1, 1-1) fell out of the Top-10, dropping five spots to No. 13 in the Coaches Poll and six spots to No. 13 in the Associated Press poll following its first loss of the season.

Related: JAKE’S TAKE: Ole Miss could be heading for yet another special season

It is the second straight season Ole Miss has reached the Top-10 rankings in both the AP and Coaches polls.

The Rebels cracked the Top-10 in the AP poll for the first time last season on Oct. 24, 2021 after defeating LSU at home, clocking in at No. 10 and got as high as No. 8 later in the season.

Ole Miss also entered the Coaches Poll Top-10 for the first time after the LSU win, cracking in it at No. 9 and got as high at No. 8 same as the AP Poll.

There was some slight change in the Coaches Poll within the Top-5 after Georgia (5-0, 2-0) had to rally from behind to knock off Missouri (2-3, 0-2). The Bulldogs slipped to No. 2 while Alabama (5-0, 2-0) took over the No. 1 spot after its big win at Arkansas (3-2, 1-2). Ohio State (5-0), Michigan (5-0) and Clemson (5-0) rounded out the Top-5.

In the AP Poll there was the same switching of the top two teams between the Bulldogs and Crimson Tide. Buckeyes, Wolverines and Tigers round out the Top 5, mirroring the Coaches Poll.

Ole Miss plays at Vanderbilt (3-2, 0-1) next Saturday at 3 p.m. CT on SEC Network for its first SEC road game of the season.

Here are the full Top 25 rankings for both the AP and Coaches Polls:

ASSOCIATED PRESS

  1. Alabama
  2. Georgia
  3. Ohio State
  4. Michigan
  5. Clemson
  6. Southern California
  7. Oklahoma State
  8. Tennessee
  9. Ole Miss
  10. Penn State
  11. Utah
  12. Oregon
  13. Kentucky
  14. North Carolina State
  15. Wake Forest
  16. BYU
  17. TCU
  18. UCLA
  19. Kansas
  20. Kansas State
  21. Washington
  22. Syracuse
  23. Mississippi State
  24. Cincinnati
  25. LSU

USA TODAY AFCA COACHES POLL

  1. Alabama
  2. Georgia
  3. Ohio State
  4. Michigan
  5. Clemson
  6. Southern California
  7. Oklahoma State
  8. Tennessee
  9. Ole Miss
  10. Penn State
  11. Utah
  12. Oregon
  13. Kentucky
  14. North Carolina State
  15. Wake Forest
  16. BYU
  17. Kansas
  18. TCU
  19. UCLA
  20. Kansas State
  21. Syracuse
  22. Baylor
  23. Mississippi State
  24. Washington
  25. Arkansas

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