Paul Finebaum Changes His Stance on Underrated SEC Contender originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The 2024 college football season marked the inaugural year of the 12-team College Football Playoff (CFP). Despite coming close to qualifying, several teams fell just short of making their first playoff appearance.
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One of those teams was the Ole Miss Rebels, who enjoyed another successful season with a record of 10-3, finishing 14th in the final CFP rankings. Now, head coach Lane Kiffin and his staff are eager to break through and secure a playoff spot in 2025.
On “The Paul Finebaum Show,” the SEC Network analyst expressed that he has changed his opinion on the Rebels after listening to USA TODAY’s Blake Toppmeyer during the broadcast.
Ole Miss HC Lane Kiffin.Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
“I really wasn’t sure until we had Black Toppmeyer on a little bit ago,” Finebaum said. “He was very high on the Rebels, and to me, it makes sense because I don’t think the schedule is as difficult. They have a good quarterback. Is he the same as Jaxson (Dart)? Maybe not. But, LSU, South Carolina and Florida, those are tough games that are at home. I do worry a little bit about Georgia and Oklahoma back-to-back. Those are two treacherous road games.”
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The Ole Miss Rebels face a significant challenge this season due to the loss of key talent from last year’s team. Currently, they are ranked No. 113 for returning production, with only 42 percent of their output returning.
A notable loss for the Rebels is quarterback Jaxson Dart, who had an impressive season last year, throwing for 4,279 yards, 29 touchdowns and only six interceptions while completing 69.3 percent of his passes. His strong performance earned him a first-round selection by the New York Giants in the 2025 NFL Draft.
This season, Dart will be replaced by Austin Simmons, a former four-star prospect. So far, Simmons has thrown for 282 yards and two interceptions, completing 59.4 percent of his passes. His most significant moment last year came when he briefly stepped in for Dart during the Georgia game, going 5-of-6 for 64 yards on one drive, which ended with a touchdown that tied the game at seven. Ole Miss ultimately won that matchup 28-10.
In addition to Dart, the Rebels also lost standout wide receiver Tre Harris, who recorded 1,030 yards and seven touchdowns in just eight games before entering the draft. The Los Angeles Chargers selected Harris in the second round.
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On the defensive side, Ole Miss will be without five of its top six sack leaders from last season.
The Rebels will kick off their season against Georgia State on Aug. 30 at 7:45 p.m. ET on the SEC Network.
Related: Paul Finebaum Names Major College Football Team He Doesn’t Have a ‘Great Feeling About’
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 23, 2025, where it first appeared.