College Football Analyst Reveals Biggest Obstacle to Ole Miss' Playoff Run

The Ole Miss Rebels look like a playoff-worthy team in 2024, but there is one factor that could derail their plans.

Dec 30, 2023; Atlanta, GA, USA; Mississippi Rebels quarterback Jaxson Dart (2) celebrates with defensive end Jared Ivey (15) after a victory against the Penn State Nittany Lions in the Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports / Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

The Ole Miss Rebels look poised to compete for a College Football Playoff berth this season, at least from a pure talent perspective. But what could derail their dreams in 2024?

As the old saying goes, "The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry," and the complicating factor for Ole Miss this season boils down to injuries. If the Rebels can stay healthy, they look to have a solid shot at reaching the playoff, and that point was reiterated by analyst Jordan Rodgers on a recent edition of SEC Now when asked about his biggest concern for the Rebels' playoff chances.

"I am so high on Ole Miss. I'm so high on [quarterback] Jaxson Dart," Rodgers said. "I'm going to throw one out there that's maybe a little bit of a cliche, but I'll back it up: it's health. Because this is no doubt one of the best 22-man rosters in the entire country with the pieces that they added in the portal."

Rodgers goes on to state that he believes there is a stark difference between the starting stars of the Ole Miss defense and some of the depth pieces. If a few of these big names go down, he believes that things could get bumpy for the Rebels.

Fortunately for them, they still have some elite talent on offense.

"This defensive line's going to be dirty," Rodgers said, "but there is a big drop off I think from some of the talented guys they have, especially on the defensive side of the football, and the second and third guys. If they can stay healthy, they're going to compete with anybody.

"If the injury bug gets them on that side of the ball, that's where I think that offense then has a bigger responsibility, but with the firepower they have there, that's going to be tough to stop."

One of the biggest talking points during Ole Miss' fall camp, however, has been depth. Players like Walter Nolen and Princely Umanmielen will be key this fall, but it's obvious that the Rebels coaching staff feels good about some of their rotational pieces as well.

Rodgers is right in saying that health will be key for Ole Miss, but this roster seems deeper than in years past. The Rebels should be able to stand a couple of injury blows on defense as long as there isn't a mass exodus of players due to health reasons.

For now, however, the roster is healthy, and the outlook is bright.