The Ole Miss Rebels’ season has been filled with ups and downs; they started strong with a 4-0 record against non-conference teams, then struggled by losing two of their first three conference games, before bouncing back with significant victories over Arkansas and Georgia.
A key factor in the Rebels’ resurgence has been senior wide receiver Jordan Watkins. With Ole Miss’ top receiver Tre Harris sidelined due to injury, Watkins has made a major impact, highlighted by a remarkable game against Arkansas where he set records with eight receptions, 254 yards, and five touchdowns. On Monday, Watkins discussed the team’s mentality since their loss to LSU, which has fueled their recent success.
“Every game has been a playoff game for us since that second loss at LSU,” Watkins stated. “It’s win or lose now. If we lose, we’re out of playoff contention. We’ve had to win every game since LSU, and I think that’s evident in how well we’re performing on both sides of the ball.”
This “backs against the wall” attitude has been effective; since the Baton Rouge loss, the Rebels have achieved a 3-0 record, culminating in a significant win over Georgia on November 9.
Thanks to this new mindset, Ole Miss has climbed to 9th in the AP Poll, and they’ll learn their ranking in the CFP Committee’s evaluations on Tuesday. The Rebels aim to secure two more wins against SEC opponents. After a bye week, they’ve had extra preparation time for the next tough stretch, starting with a game against Florida on Saturday and then the Egg Bowl in Oxford on Black Friday.
The matchup against the Gators is set for 11 a.m. CT on Saturday and will be broadcast on ABC.
