Ole Miss LB Pooh Paul Views 2024 Campaign as 'Successful' For Rebel Football

Ole Miss Rebels linebacker Chris "Pooh" Paul Jr. talked to the media after his team's win over Mississippi State.

Nov 29, 2024; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi Rebels linebacker Chris Paul Jr. (11) runs the ball after an interception against the Mississippi State Bulldogs during the first quarter at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-Imagn Images / Matt Bush-Imagn Images

Linebacker Pooh Paul has turned into a fan favorite in his first season in Oxford with his gritty play and sideline-to-sideline presence. It also seems the junior from Cordele, Ga., has become a leader on this stacked Ole Miss defense.

Paul was second in tackles for the Rebels in Friday's win over Mississippi State and also hauled in his first interception of the year early in the first quarter. While he has had a fantastic campaign, Ole Miss ultimately needed to bounce back after a tough loss at Florida, and it managed to do so against its in-state rival.

"Coming in with a positive mindset like we did on Sunday," Paul said when asked about how the team was able to bounce back. "Like [defensive coordinator Pete] Golding said, the game wasn't about effort. It was about guys doing their jobs each and every play at a 100-percent pace.

"Coming in on Sunday, guys were full of energy, ready to take criticism and ready to get better, and it showcased this weekend on how we played."

Ole Miss was able to come away with the win on Friday, but its postseason future is still uncertain. The Rebels entered the week ranked 14th in the College Football Playoff Top 25, and while there were some upsets in the Top 12 on Saturday after Ole Miss played, it may or may not have been enough to get back into the playoff picture.

That uncertainty rests on the shoulders of three losses the Rebels suffered over the course of the regular season against Kentucky, LSU and Florida. Being a nine-win team (with five of those wins coming in the SEC) can be classified as a strong season, but if Ole Miss fails to reach the playoff, the 2024 campaign will be filled with "what ifs."

Still, that doesn't mean the year can't be viewed through a positive light.

"There are times when we do look back on those games and say, 'Man, I could have done this,'" Paul said, "but we learned from those games and took it week-by-week, and we came out successful this season, in my opinion."

The next installment of the College Football Playoff Rankings will be released on Tuesday night.