The 2022 Ole Miss Season Free Fell Off A Cliff
A little over two short months ago, the Ole Miss Rebels were riding high at 7-0 as they prepared to take on the LSU Tigers in Death Valley.
The Barstool Sports College Football Show was in Baton Rouge and the Rebels were ranked in the Top 10 after rushing for over 400 yards in a 48-34 win against Auburn.
Ole Miss jumped out to an early 17-3 lead in the game. All seemed right in the world. Then LSU came out and beat the Rebels from pillar to post in the 2nd half winning by a lopsided final score of 45-20.
Ole Miss was able to pull out a road win in College Station 31-28 against the Aggies the next Saturday but that was all she wrote the rest of the way.
After going all in and losing a heartbreaker to Alabama 30-24 in Oxford, the Rebels fell straight off a cliff. They got thrashed 42-27 in Fayetteville by Arkansas as rumors of Lane Kiffin leaving to Auburn dominated the headlines.
Ole Miss then lost the Egg Bowl 24-22 at home to bitter rival Mississippi State in Mike Leach's final game to finish the season 8-4.
There was one piece of positive news when Lane Kiffin signed a shiny new 6 year 54 Million dollar contract spurning Auburn to stay in Oxford.
Well the shininess of that contract wore off in a hurry last night in Houston.
The Texas Tech Red Raiders delivered a Texas size butt kicking to Ole Miss 42-25 in the Texas Bowl in Houston.
The Ole Miss offensive line got wrecked at the line of scrimmage and the vaunted running game struggled. The Rebels played hot potato with the football with multiple turnovers. They had a failed fake punt and went 1 for 6 on 4th down.
Hard to win football games without blocking or taking care of the football.
In a three possession stretch in first half, Ole Miss went INT, failed fake punt and fumble. It was a stage 5 level melt down.
Lane Kiffin even went for a 4th and 1 on his own 11 yard line at one point!
I strive to be positive as much as I can. And the only positive thing I have to say about last night is that it is over.
It was a BRUTAL showing. There's no sugar coating it. And a once promising season got the ending it deserved as Ole Miss lost for the 5th time in 6 games.
Back to the transfer portal the Rebels go to re-load. They damn sure better with road games at Alabama, Georgia, Auburn, Miss State and Tulane on the 2023 schedule.
Despite the train wreck to end the season, I am still bullish on the program. Ole Miss is doing well in the transfer portal and just won 10 games a year ago with a Sugar Bowl berth.
Ole Miss lost an All American QB and both co-ordinators last off season. I would have been okay with an 8-4 season going into this year.
QB Jaxson Dart was 19 years old this season and should improve.
Lane Kiffin is still a helluva coach with an exciting brand of football. The Rebels are nationally relevant. He just has A LOT more to prove in 2023 after the way the 2022 season erupted in flames.
It is going to be a LONG offseason in Oxford....
At least the Baseball team is still National Champs. 50 days til first pitch!