Not Top 5! Ole Miss Lands At No. 6 In First AP Poll

The Ole Miss Rebels still aren't a top-five team heading into the 2024 season.

Jul 15, 2024; Dallas, TX, USA; Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin speaking at Omni Dallas Hotel. Mandatory Credit: Brett Patzke-USA TODAY Sports / Brett Patzke-USA TODAY Sports

The quest for a College Football Playoff spot is starting off on the right note for Ole Miss football.

The Rebels came in at No. 6 in the AP Poll released on Monday afternoon, their highest preseason position since the John Vaught era. It's the second-highest preseason ranking in the last 50 years, trailing only the 1970 campaign when AP voters placed Ole Miss at No. 5.

The top 10 ranking marks the 21st time Ole Miss has been ranked for the start of the regular season and the 11th time it has been ranked in the top 10 to begin a campaign. The Rebels haven't ranked inside the preseason top 10 since 2010 when they finished the regular season at 8-4.

Ole Miss is coming off its best season in program history with 11 wins following a Peach Bowl victory over Penn State. Entering what many consider the "Last Dance" era, the Rebels return several key contributors like quarterback Jaxson Dart, receiver Tre Harris, and tight end Caden Prieskorn.

Fifth-year coach Lane Kiffin only expanded the pressure surrounding the program by putting together the nation's top transfer portal class over the offseason, which included standouts like LSU running back Logan Diggs, South Carolina receiver Juice Wells and Texas A&M defensive lineman Walter Nolen.

Dec 30, 2023; Atlanta, GA, USA; Mississippi Rebels quarterback Jaxson Dart (2) celebrates 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

Ole Miss looks to qualify for the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff while also competing for its first-ever SEC conference title. The Rebels have the fourth-best odds to win the SEC, trailing No. 1 Georgia, No. 4 Texas and No. 5 Alabama.

Nine total SEC teams ranked inside the top 25. Missouri, fresh off an 11-win season under Eli Drinkwitz, appeared at No. 11. LSU appeared at No. 13 while Tennessee and Oklahoma appeared at No. 15 and No. 16, respectively. Texas A&M, headlined by new coach Mike Elko, rounded out the list at No. 20.

Both Auburn and Kentucky received preseason votes. The Rebels open the regular season at home against FCS Furman on Aug. 31 at 6 p.m. CT.