How Ole Miss Football Can Make History With Gator Bowl Win Over Duke

The Ole Miss Rebels can accomplish something that hasn't been seen for the program since the 1960s, if they can beat the Duke Blue Devils on Thursday.

Nov 23, 2024; Gainesville, Florida, USA; Mississippi Rebels quarterback Jaxson Dart (2) rushes with the ball against the Florida Gators during the second half at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images / Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

The Ole Miss Rebels missed out on their primary goal this season and failed to reach the College Football Playoff, but that doesn't mean that the 2024 campaign can't carry some special significance.

Ole Miss is seeking its third 10-plus-win season in the last four years, and it will have to take down the Duke Blue Devils in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl on Thursday in order to reach that goal. Prior to 2021, the last 10-win seasons that the Rebels had came in 2015 and 2003, and before that, you have to look all the way back to 1971 for a double-digit-win season.

That's what would make accomplishing this feat significant on Thursday. The last time Ole Miss had 10 wins in three out of four years came in 1959, 1960 and 1962, three years where the Rebels were also able to claim a portion of the national championship. While there is no national title on the line for Ole Miss, that's still pretty telling of how far the program has come since it hit rock bottom with a rough 2019 season.

Johnny Vaught was Ole Miss' head coach during that span, and the Rebels' home stadium now carries his name in part of the title. Reaching this pinnacle on Thursday may not be enough to salve the wounds that the Rebels have from missing the playoff, but it will still be noteworthy as the program continues its climb in national relevance.

The current Rebels are taking that goal of 10 wins to heart this week, even though they missed out on reaching the CFP.

"We have a chance to get 10 wins," tight end Caden Prieskorn said earlier this month. "If we win this game, we'll be over 20 wins here in two years. That's hard to do in college football these days with the transfer portal and new guys here each and every year."

Kickoff in the Gator Bowl between Ole Miss and Duke is set for 6:30 p.m. CT on Thursday, and the game will be televised on ESPN.