Ole Miss Football Remains Idle in AP Poll Following Bye Week

The Ole Miss Rebels aren't moving in this week's poll, but that could be a good thing entering Saturday's matchup against Oklahoma.

Oct 12, 2024; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA; Mississippi Rebels defensive tackle Jamarious Brown (96) reacts after intercepting a pass against the LSU Tigers during the first half at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images / Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Ole Miss football can improve its ranking with a win next Saturday over Oklahoma at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.

For now, everything remains the same, including the Rebels' ranking in the AP Poll.

Ole Miss remained at No. 18 following Week 8's mayhem that saw two top 10 SEC programs fall at the wrong time. No. 1 Texas lost 30-15 against No. 5 Georgia in what could have implications on the SEC title game.

Meanwhile, No. 7 Alabama dropped its second game in conference play in a 24-17 loss against then-No. 11 Tennessee in the annual Third Saturday in October game.

Both the Crimson Tide and Rebels will need help from others to help them secure a spot in the College Football Playoff polls later next month. With two conference losses, there's no room for error in matchups that remain challenging for both parties. Alabama, which fell to No. 15, still has games against No. 21 Missouri, No. 8 LSU, Oklahoma and Auburn.

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Ole Miss still has a game against the Sooners, plus road trips against Arkansas and Florida. There's also the big test against No. 2 Georgia at home on Nov. 9 for what could decide a playoff berth for the Rebels.

Ole Miss should be near full strength entering Saturday's matchup at home following the bye week. The taste of defeat from the overtime loss against LSU still lingers in the mouths of those who thought they could be undefeated thanks to stellar defensive execution and consistency in the passing game.

Oklahoma is coming off a 35-9 loss against South Carolina and will enter the matchup in Oxford unranked.

Sep 28, 2024; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi Rebels wide receiver Tre Harris (9) runs after a catch for a first down as Kentucky Wildcats defensive back Jordan Lovett (25) pursues during the second half at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images / Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Georgia moved up to No. 2 after securing the road victory over the Longhorns. Texas dropped to No. 5 with the 15-point loss, its first since joining the SEC. Tennessee moved up four spots to No. 7 after securing its second win over Alabama in three years. LSU moved up one spot to No. 8 with a 34-10 win over Arkansas.

Texas A&M, which bested Mississippi State in Starkville, was idle at No. 14 entering Week 9's game against LSU at Kyle Field. Vanderbilt, which hasn't been ranked since 2014, appeared at No. 25 following its 24-14 win over Ball State.